Better than Revenge
by DaesGatling
Summary: Rumpelstiltskin's wife left him when he was branded a coward. Now, when designing the curse to end all curses, he gets revenge on her the best way he knows how. This is NOT Milah. AU
1. Chapter 1

In the decades that he'd been alive, Rumpelstiltskin figured that he knew more about revenge than anyone in all the realms of his world.

It was how he made his living. Almost everyone that he talked to wanted revenge in some form or another. Most just didn't want to admit it or they didn't realize it. Cinderella dealt with him for revenge. She thought she was going to a ball, but her ulterior motive (Which she had admitted to him) was for revenge against her stepmother and stepsisters for the lifestyle that they had forced her into.

He made a lot of enemies doing this work. Ironically most of them were the so called poor unfortunate souls that had dealt with him in the first place; in desperate attempts to go back on their deals.

And they pretended they were in the right.

Rumpelstiltskin didn't lie about what he was and yet they did. What did they say about them? After all, if he had to live with his deal, which ended up driving away his son then why shouldn't they?

Words could not describe what he thought of Cinderella and the little daddy's boy that he'd practically handed to her.

He'd expected the betrayal. He'd planned on it so that they'd imprison him and set everything in motion for the curse that he'd designed.

But that didn't mean he didn't hate them for being foolish and stupid enough to go through with it.

That was fine though, he knew that in the end, he'd come out ahead. In time, they would all be at his mercy and all those people with deals that were still standing or had tried to go back on them would be at his mercy.

And for most of them including some of his so called beloved ones, he didn't plan on giving it


	2. Chapter 2

If one asked around Storybrooke about the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Gold every answer would probably be different. To some, she was a tramp looking for a payout and would eventually leave him. There were even bets on how long it would last. To others she was a victim that agreed to marry the terrifying Mr. Gold on account of some deal that no one knew about.

But whatever gossip went around, no one knew for sure what the relationship was or how it came to be. The Golds had been married for as long as anyone could remember and they always treated each other with affection and a curious detachment.

Whatever went on behind closed doors would always be a mystery. Except to Archie Hopper and since he was more scared of Mr. Gold than Regina then he didn't release any information about Dawn Gold's sessions with him to the Mayor despite the fact that she asked for it on a constant basis.

Anything to get leverage on the only family more powerful in town than she was.

But behind closed doors, the relationship as agreed by both of them was a…sort of contentment. They weren't happy, because that would flatter the relationship and would make it seem as if it were something to strive for. But the truth was; if they hadn't been the type of people that they were, then the relationship would've failed a long time ago.

* * *

><p>Dawn Gold ripped off her sunglasses as soon as she came through the door of the house and headed right to the kitchen where her husband was pouring himself a cup, "Don't say anything, just point me where my cup is."<p>

"Where have you been?" he asked and gave her the cup.

Dawn sat down and pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes, "I am far too tired to play twenty questions."

"You look horrible this morning," her husband said and put the coffee in front of her.

She groaned, "I hate Sydney Glass. I hate him."

"You hate everyone," he reminded her.

"I love you."

He smiled, ready for this little game that they played together, "No you don't."

"Oh, that's not fair," Dawn protested, "Just because I married you mostly for your wealth and power and influence in this big fish small pond town, you automatically assume I don't love you. Just like you love me for my youth, social skills, and…optimistic personality.'

"Of course, dearie."

"Of course," she said and took a drink. It wasn't near strong enough but she'd deal with it when she drained this pot.

"We are two horrible people aren't we?"

"Which is why we work together so well."

He bent over and kissed her affectionately on the cheek, "Now you weren't exactly clear when you were muttering curses under your breath last night, why exactly do you hate Sydney Glass? He's such an honorable man."

She opened her eyes, "Because he had me working all night on a piece and every time I presented it, he said it wasn't up to my best work. Which is code for 'Regina wouldn't approve of it yet.'"

"I'm sorry; this is new to you all of a sudden?"

"It was a hatchet job, like Sydney usually bumps off on me, that's not new, but the reason for the job? Because Henry's biological mother drove into the town sign."

He raised his eyebrows, genuinely interesting for the first time that morning "Henry's real mother?"

"I would've loved to see the smirk drop from Regina Mills face when she introduced herself," she took a sip from her coffee, "That would've made a far more interesting front page."

"Is the mother going to stay?"

"Well, she had to stay overnight when she decided to put that irritating sign out of our misery. But other than that I don't know. It's been while since someone new moved in, I don't think that I can remember the last time someone moved up here, do you?"

"No," he leaned back, 'That was easier than I thought it would be."

"What?" Dawn asked in confusion.

"Nothing. You know, if you're that tired you should be asleep. Not consuming caffeine."

"If I go to sleep then Glass and his radar will know that I am and he'll call me up again to make some adjustments.'

"This isn't your first cup of coffee is it?"

"Granny's opens early."

He nodded, as if he expected her answer, "Dawn, go to bed."

"Only if you stay home with me."

"Not today, rent's due. And you know how everyone gets when I don't come around to collect rent on time, they think I'm giving them more time and it takes months to get everyone back on track."

"Look we have more money than what we'll ever need, just take a day off."

"It's the principle of the thing," he pulled on his coat and kissed her cheek, "It's going to be a big day dearie."

"It's sad when 'big day' means rent day."

"As is the life in a little town."

She scoffed as he walked out the door, "Because nothing big ever happens here."


	3. Chapter 3

When it came to dealing revenge to those that had wronged him, Rumpelstiltskin believed in elegance. Unlike the queen, who never thought ahead as far as she should've, he was smart enough to believe in subtlety. He knew to hide his hand well enough so that no one saw it coming. The queen went after everyone in a blind rage that they could see a mile away.

The curse had given Regina the power she wanted but she was very ill equipped for it. The power she wanted so badly would come back to bite her. She was convinced that this was it. This was her happy ending and she would become lazy and spoiled and used to getting her way.

He had come out a lot better in the end. He kept his memories and gained his own type of power over everyone _including _Regina and he owned everything. But that was just the surface of it. All these people, all these sorry people that tried to screw him over at one point or another were controlled by him. And he had that for 28 years and there was nothing that any of them could do because that was the way things were and they blindly accepted it

It was VERY satisfying watching all of their arrogance leave their faces whenever they laid eyes on him. He may not have had his magic anymore but he definitely had power and that was what he thrived on.

Now that game was about to change. 'Emma' was here. The daughter of Prince Charming and Snow White had finally returned with the boy that he'd secured for Regina Mills in tow.

The board had been set back up; he needed to get a strategy together before the pieces started moving. He never lost control of this little game, but he'd been playing by himself for years and it was time that he got used to having an opponent again.

Regina didn't know that he remembered. Oh sure, she suspected it. She always had. After all, he was the one that gave her the curse; it would make sense if he'd put a loophole in there somewhere that allowed him to keep his memories.

She suspected but she didn't know. And as long as he had that he knew that he would have some edge. But when that blew up in his face and he knew that it would, he needed to have something else.

That move was simple. He saw her in Granny's Inn. Once he got control of Emma, he would have a major step in gaining control of the board.

* * *

><p><strong>Once upon a time….<strong>

Rumpelstiltskin didn't understand why they had to go from town to town trading during the summer. It was horribly hot and transporting the sheep wool from one village to another made it insufferable. It made it worse this year because the crops were good, the summer was mild and they were going to have enough to survive.

But it was always that need to have more…just in case. Something could happen to the crops, the Ogres could start another uprising, a summer storm could turn deadly and destroy the crops. The animals could get some kind of sickness.

But there was no evidence of any of that. There had been no storm or animal plague in years and the Ogres wouldn't think to move this far south as it wasn't strategically sound. There was nothing here that they could possibly want here.

He realized how wrong he was the second day of the journey home and they came across a destroyed caravan in the middle of the road. It didn't take a nobleman to realize that the people that lay strewn across the road had been killed with weapons too large for a normal man to hold.

"Keep the women back," Dauis said and walked forward. Disgust was written on his face as he turned a body of a child over with his foot, "I suppose the duke of the front lands is too busy behind stone walls to bother telling his people about any advancement of the enemy THEY keep provoking."

"What would they want this far south?" Rumpelstiltskin said before he could think.

Dauis rolled his eyes, "Because us humans keep encroaching on their land and so they're going to kill anyone they come across and they don't care who it is or if they're involved in the war or not."

"The Duke is probably going to use the anger this massacre will generate for more recruits." Someone in the back said.

"Which is why we need to get out of here as soon as possible."

"We should bury them," Rumpelstiltskin said.

"We don't have time," Dauis said, "We need to get out of here before they come back."

Rumpelstiltskin looked down in embarrassment; he knew it would probably come. Dauis had a way of beating back people that he didn't agree with.

"There are more than enough people to have it done," Another of the men argued, "If we don't bury our people then what makes us better than them for God's sake?"

Rumpelstiltskin looked down and saw it was Baelfire, the closest thing he could call a friend had taken his side. Baelfire had a way of arguing that struck at the emotion and conscience of people that made Rumpelstiltskin wish he'd been born with that ability.

And Baelfire had a way of getting the people behind him immediately. Dauis was their leader technically, but they all listened to Baelfire on what to do when a problem arose.

Dauis saw that he wasn't going to win this argument and shrugged, "Then bury them if you want."

Rumpelstiltskin nodded his respect to Baelfire and bent down towards the body of a redhead woman who lay face down in the dust. Large arrows pierced her shoulder, thigh and side and the way the blood soaked her dress gave some indication of how long she'd been laying there.

He grabbed her by her shoulder and turned her over on her back. Her body went at an angle and he realized that perhaps he should've thought to remove the arrows before doing so.

The minute the ground pushed the arrows deeper into her skin, her eyes flew open and she let out a gargled scream. The sudden move nearly made Rumpelstiltskin fall backwards but he regained control of his mind quickly enough to pull her into a sitting position.

Her eyes weren't focused on him, but rather something up in the sky. It was probably some hallucination brought on by the loss of blood.

"It's going to be alright," he told her, although he wasn't quite sure of what she could hear him. Not with the effects of her own injuries and the people rushing to help but he didn't care. "You're safe now."

* * *

><p><strong>Present day. <strong>

If it was rent day, then Dawn knew that she was probably going to be eating alone. People always gave him trouble on this day. They didn't want to abide by the contracts that they signed. And he had to hassle and one day someone was going to snap and try to hurt him.

Not that she cared or anything.

She heard the door open and looked at the mirror in the hallway for confirmation that it was her husband.

It was.

"You're home a bit early," she called.

"It went better than normal."

"That's a first," she muttered and tossed her plate in the sink, "You know I stayed up all night for nothing? He didn't even print that stupid story this morning."

He came up behind her and kissed the back of her ear, "Well then that means that he has material for the newspaper tomorrow and we don't get bothered tonight."

Dawn sat on the counter so that she could face him, "Oh Mr. Gold, does that mean you have less than honorable intentions on your mind?"

He gave that little smile that he had and kissed her with enough passion to make her think they really cared about each other, she returned the gesture immediately but it still felt a bit empty on her part. They never lied to each other about what wasn't there. However it was gestures like this that hinted that there could be something more for them if it wasn't for the wall that neither one of them wanted to lower. And she didn't like that feeling because it was not what she'd signed up for.

"I always do, dear."


	4. Chapter 4

When designing the curse, Rumpelstiltskin knew that most of the 'endings' would automatically fall into place. Snow and Charming wouldn't be together, Cinderella and her husband what's-his-name would be separated by his father due to their age and her status in the town. That sort of thing.

However, he made exceptions for some. As he'd planned, Regina was in a poor state for the power she had. He'd made sure that this curse wouldn't allow her to be loved nor to love and that was what she'd really wanted.

He'd also put his own ending in for his wife as well. She'd left him to raise their son alone on account of what the other villagers were feeling about the marriage and him being a coward. So his curse to her was simple yet effective. She had what she'd always wanted in terms of security and wealth but the cost was her being married to him and that meant she was an outcast.

And he'd tried to hate her; he tried to make her as miserable and unhappy as possible when this all began as revenge for what she'd put him through. In his mind she deserved it, but it was very hard to hate someone you were living with for 28 years.

So, a bit of a twisted friendship had formed between the two of them in an attempt to ease the loneliness they both felt. They always took the opportunity to insult each other when they got the chance, but they were still each other's sounding board and the closest thing each other had to a trusting friend. IT wasn't supposed to be what a marriage was meant for but since nothing was what it was supposed to be in this town he just went with it.

Around 7 in the morning, Dawn stirred from her spot on the bed beside him and opened her eyes, "Is it Friday yet?"

"Not yet."

She groaned and rolled over so that she was right against him, "It's going to be slow today. Sidney probably won't even call me in."

"As if that's a bad thing," he muttered. He hated her working at the newspaper but it eased her boredom and he didn't have to hear about it. It also helped that her working there got under Regina's skin. She had originally signed on Dawn to try and find a crack in the public bond that was the Gold relationship but she'd failed. Both he and his wife were skilled about keeping whatever problems or fights they had quiet. Dawn might not have understood what was going on between him and the mayor but she hated Regina almost as much as he did. And so she worked at the newspaper just for something to do and to irritate the mayor and the Ms. Mills had no choice but to smile and bear it because Sidney couldn't possibly do it all by himself.

"And how are you going to spend your time if you aren't called into work."

She smiled, for once her face looked radiant, "I'm thinking of getting the nursery set up today."

He just stared at her. She hadn't ever said anything like that before. For 28 years the others had been in a haze about how long they'd been alive. Ashley Boyd, the little Cinderella of their reality had been pregnant for 28 years. Dawn had waited with anticipation for her to give birth because the baby would go to them. But she had never made plans.

Was time starting to move again? This quickly? Emma hadn't been here two days.

He was going to be a father again. Interesting.

And speaking of Emma…

"I think you should talk to Henry's mother today," he said.

She blinked and then scoffed, "Tell me; why on Earth would I do that?"

She rolled over and grabbed the robe on the floor. He was quiet while she dressed. The scars on her side and shoulder always made him think about what could've happened a lifetime ago.

In her false memories, she thought an abusive father had attacked her.

Dawn realized that he was looking at her scars and pulled the robe on faster, "Why would I be friends with a woman who's probably going to be driven off as soon as Regina sticks her vampire soul sucking claws into her?"

"Oh dear, trust me. I don't think she's going to be chased out so easily."

"What angle are you playing at?"

"Now that offends me," he said with an ambiguous half-smile, "What makes you think I'd do anything with a hidden agenda in mind?"

"Because I know you," Dawn reminded him and kissed him.

"So then will you do it?"

"I'll think about it," Dawn said, "But I'm not promising anything."

"Of course dear," he said while keeping that little smile that he did so well.


	5. Chapter 5

**Once upon a time**

They found five survivors among the carnage of the attack. Only three survived the ride back into the village.

Most of the women had taken the wagons back to the village but a few men went with them. Namely Rumpelstiltskin only because the woman that that he'd found would not let go of his arm.

Since he had appointed himself the village leader, Dauis decided which survivor went to which house. He didn't hesitate to put her in Rumpelstiltskin's house. Most people would just write it off as her attachment to him but Rumpelstiltskin had the feeling that it was because he wouldn't protest.

Three days passed and she opened her eyes. In that time one of the other survivors died of infection from his injuries.

The others tried to talk to her and figure out what happened but she didn't answer them. The woman would not talk, would not eat, or drink anything. The only thing she did do was sleep constantly and when she woke she would only stare ahead blankly.

For the most part, whenever Rumpelstiltskin WAS allowed into his own house, he would…not necessarily ignore her but he wouldn't bother her. The others did enough of that all day.

The fifth day Rumpelstiltskin woke up from his blanket on the floor to see that his bed where she slept was empty.

She had somehow stumbled to the other side of the house near his spinning wheel.

"What are you doing?" he said and threw off his blanket.

She lost her footing just as he reached her; he helped her sit on the bench. She was pale and shivering violently.

He poured her a glass of water and she drank it.

"What were you doing?" He asked.

She focused on the ground, and didn't answer.

"I'm going to go find someone," he stood

"No," she said weakly, "I don't want them in here."

He looked away from her towards the curtain that served as a door and then back at her. He should go and talk to someone who actually wasn't shy around other people

But she asked him not to, and if he went ahead anyway then he would break the trust that she apparently had with him for some reason and then she wouldn't talk to anyone.

"Alright," he sat next to her and took a breath, "I suppose we'll just…sit here then."

* * *

><p><strong>Storybrooke<strong>

Dawn grabbed the bottle of medicine from the shelf and threw it into the cart. She was down to the last few pills and she needed to stock up. Her medicine always ran low just when the headaches were at their worst.

Dawn pushed the cart to the end of the aisle and nearly hit a blonde in a red jacket as she stormed past without looking. One of the boxes in Dawn's cart fell.

The blonde stopped long enough to see what happened and came back, "I'm sorry."

"Its fine," Dawn knelt down and grabbed it, "You're Emma Swan, aren't you?"

Emma shook her head, "Word gets around."

"Small town, you bet it does," Dawn could feel the anger radiating off Emma, "And judging by your face you've already gotten your overfill of Regina."

"Whatever gave you that idea?"

"What did she do?" Dawn asked.

"Oh, she set me up to take a fall for something that didn't happen."

"Yeah that sounds like her," Dawn muttered, "Question is…are you going to let her do something like that and get away with it?"

"Of course not," Emma said, "I'm going to buy a chainsaw and tear that so called beloved tree of hers down."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Dawn said.

""Why not? I've already found myself in the jail twice in the past 24 hours; third time can't possibly take anymore of my dignity."

A wicked smile crossed Dawn's face, "I'm not talking about what you're about to do, Ms. Swan. I'm talking about the reason you're here. I happen to despise Regina as well and as the enemy of my enemy is my friend I happen to have a chainsaw you can use.

* * *

><p>"You should've seen the look on Regina's face when she came storming out of her house," Dawn told her husband as they sat on the couch, "I think I saw fire coming out of her nose."<p>

"Can it be traced back to you?" he asked.

"No, I stayed far enough to away to observe it without being seen.

"So, you mean to tell me that in just this afternoon, you made acquaintances with Emma Swan and got her to trust you enough for you to give her what she needed to tear a branch off Regina's apple tree? Thereby getting her to do something we've both wanted to do for a long time now and not give yourself away?"

Dawn smirked, "I learned from the best."

"That's my girl."

Dawn propped her head up against the back of the couch and watched him stretch his bad leg out and wince in pain, "It's horrible how she treats that boy of hers."

"We're not nice people either dear." Her husband reminded her.

"But we've never made a child go to therapy for what we do…at least intentionally. Maybe Ms. Swan will be good for him. Maybe it'll undo some of the damage the Ice Queen's done," she saw him clenching the sofa, "Are you alright?"

"My leg is telling me that cooler temperatures are on their way."

"Do you want me to get you something?"

"It's just a bit of pain dear, I'll be fine. "

Dawn looked at the crackling fire, the idea of colder weather made her draw her feet up and tuck them under her body, "So I'm guessing I know why you wanted me to meet Emma."

"It was simple; Regina would eventually try and run Emma out of town, but I knew that Ms. Swan would probably fight back. And since we would all want to see our beloved mayor dethroned for good."

"I'm not a pawn in your little chess game with Regina," Dawn snapped.

"Of course you are, dear," he said, "Everyone is."


	6. Chapter 6

**Once Upon A Time**

Both Rumpelstiltskin and the woman spent the next two days side by side next to the spinning wheel while he worked. The first day she slept on and off against the wall but the next day she stayed awake longer.

"What's your name?" he finally asked her as the end of the second day was drawing to an end.

She tore her gaze away from the spinning of the wheel and looked at him.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't wish to," he said, "However it would be nice that if we do start talking, that I have something to call you by."

She pulled the shawl that one of the women up close had given her and leaned against the wall. She was starting to get tired.

"Do you need help?" he asked. The leg wound that she'd suffered from the Ogre attack wasn't deep but she still had problems walking on it.

"Yes," she said and gripped his arm when he helped her up.

She all but collapsed on the bed when he helped her near it.

"Dagian," she said quietly when he moved back toward his wheel.

"What?" he asked.

"It's my name," she accepted the blanket that he gave her.

"It's pretty," he told her.

She gave a slight blush and smiled, "Thank you."

HE averted his gaze, "Yes well um…you're welcome."

And he hurried back to his seat.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Dawn scanned up and down the instruction manual and looked at the pile of random wood bits that were lying on the floor.

Why couldn't these stupid cribs come prebuilt?

"Hello darling," her husband greeted her at the doorway, "You're up early,"

She smiled, stood, and kissed him, "Ashley called her doctor last night because she thought she was feeling contractions."

"Really?" he raised an eyebrow, "And how do you know that?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck, "We have eyes and ears everywhere, remember?

"Well I know _I_ did, I didn't know that _you_ did."

"I have to have some leverage too," Dawn smiled radiantly, "We're going to have a baby by the end of the week."

She kissed him again, a gesture that was more passionate than any kiss she'd ever given him.

He pulled back slightly, a look of discomfort on his face passed quickly and was replaced by a vague smile, "Kiss me like that again dear and you'll give me no choice but to take the morning off."

"Wouldn't bother me any," she smirked.

"No, it's Friday and that's my busiest day because people are trying to sell their things and get a little more money for the weekend."

She sighed, "You better make it up to me."

"Dear, I made sure you would be a mother this week. What more could I possibly do for you?"

She raised her eyebrow, "Well if you have to ask _that_."

* * *

><p><strong>Once Upon A Time<strong>

Winter was coming, so Rumpelstiltskin kept the fire burning in the hearth throughout the nights to heat the house. Other nights it was pitch dark but during the winter he could see an outline of the one roomed house that his grandfather had built and his father had lived at.

And sometime during the night he could see that his bed in which she slept on was empty.

He stood and grabbed the blanket that was folded at the end of his abed and walked out of the house. She could barely sit awake, what made her think that she could walk around outside in the cold?

He pushed the curtain back and breathed in the colder air.

She hadn't gone far; he could see her sitting on a bench right outside the door.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I just needed to be out there."

"I was…I didn't mean to intrude, I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"Stay with me," she asked when he pulled the curtain back.

He reluctantly sat down and they spent a few seconds in silence, "Anyone here would've opened their home to you. Yet you chose me. Why do you trust me so much?"

She looked at him, "Well why shouldn't I? You were the one that found me

** "**Oh," he turned and pressed his back against the wall.

She wrapped the blanket around her shoulders, "We were only three days away from home when we were attacked. W-we thought that since we were so far away from the fighting that no one would get attacked but they were wrong and so we made the trek anyway."

She stopped and drew a shaky breath, "I can't sleep without…seeing...withotu seeing what happened."

He didn't say anything as she started sobbing heavily; he did put his hand on her back uneasily because he didn't know what else to do.

The shock was gone, healing would begin.

* * *

><p><strong> Present Day<strong>

Dawn sat cross legged on the couch and stared at the clock in frustration.

He should've been home an hour ago.

Not that she was worried or anything.

She tapped her cellphone against the couch as the seconds ticked by. He was probably haggling again. Maybe someone messed up on their rent or they didn't pay their loan and he was listening to them as they cried and begged for more time.

She scoffed and stood, "If they weren't going to have the money later then why should they ask for more money now? It never made sense.

At 9:30 Dawn finally stood and picked up her phone. If he was on his way then she wouldn't mind. He liked to walk and since he had a limp then sometimes it slowed him down. Especially when it was getting cooler.

She dialed the number but then she heard the telltale tap of his cane on the stairs outside.

Immediately she stormed to the front door and ripped it open, "I thought you-

"I know," she heard him say, "I'm sorry."

He brushed past her and she stood in the doorway for a second in shock at the idea of him apologizing and shut the door, "What happened?"

He was leaning heavily on the cane and he sat down on the stairs just inside the front door.

She turned on the lamp and immediately saw that he had a large gash and bruise right above his eye, "Were you attacked?"

"Yes."

She felt her stomach clench at the idea then shook off the worry, "I'll get some medicine cabinet stuff from the…medicine...cabinet."


	7. Chapter 7

Dawn knew that there was something wrong as soon as her husband wouldn't look her in the eye, "Who attacked you?"

"It's all under control Dawn," he said.

She hesitated. Normally he would be more than happy to tell her everything that was going on as they were each other's confidants so his unwillingness made absolutely no sense unless he didn't want her to know.

And only one candidate made sense, "Was it Ashley?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Don't worry about it?" she demanded, "You were attacked. I knew this was going to happen one day if you went from door to door collecting money from people who don't want to give it over."

"Now Dear I didn't think you cared."

She didn't blink, "I don't."

"Your fawning could've fooled me."

She scoffed, that accusation was just ridiculous, "I'm not fawning I'm making sure you don't have a concussion."

"I don't have a concussion."

"I'm going to take you to the hospital just in case."

"No," he grabbed her wrist when she stood and pulled her down, "If the hospital finds out that I was attacked then the police are going to get involved and it's going ot be a bigger mess for everyone. Let me handle it."

"And what if not doing so makes things even worse?" she demanded.

"You know, you used to trust me once," he muttered.

"We've never had to deal with something like this before," she said, "We've been planning this since she signed that contract. We've waited a long time and I don't want it all to fall out at the last minute because some spoiled brat wants to go back on a deal. The baby would be better with us anyway. At least she'd have a chance."

"Of course," he said and looked at the clock, "It's getting late. We should start locking up. The last thing we need is for my assault to spread around town and everything thinking they get a turn."

Dawn stood, "You go on up. I think I'm going to do some reading."

"You sure? I believe we were planning a romantic evening tonight."

"You get a pass tonight," she gave an empty smile, "I'm not ready to go to bed. And really an assault doesn't do much to amp a romantic mood."

"Do you want me to stay with you?"

"Oh no, I'm fine," she said and walked towards the living room, "Darling?"

"What?"

"That baby would be better off with us wouldn't she?"

She saw the doubt flicker in his eyes but was immediately hidden, "Beyond any doubt."

"I see. Goodnight honey."


	8. Chapter 8

Everyone in the town of Storybrooke was a chess piece for Mr. Gold. Her majesty hadn't figured it out yet but they were all assembled to fit his advantage. And when Emma Swan was in the correct place then he could start moving them accordingly.

He knew that he needed to get Emma on his side and quickly. She probably wouldn't like but he needed to get her under his thumb before Regina got her under hers.

IT was going to break his wife's heart that he was going to let the adoption fall out but this was more important. She wouldn't understand. She probably never would forgive him even after her memories returned but he would get over the guilt eventually. He always did. There would be more children born now that time was unfrozen and he imagined not all of them would be wanted. They could have one of those. Any child could love both of them and fill the hole that they both had on account of each other's stubborn refusal to love each other. He couldn't love her again. Not after how she abandoned him and their son when Bae was just a baby. He had no doubt that some of the old feelings he'd had for her remained. There had to be something there if he could stay married to her for 28 years in this world but he would be fooling himself to think he'd ever love her.

And because he didn't love her she didn't see the point in loving him either

But whether or not they loved each other didn't matter today, because it just wouldn't make today any less difficult to go through.

He had been looking forward to raising that child just as much as his wife was.

* * *

><p>Dawn didn't know how late she stayed up but she knew that when she dozed off she didn't dream, nor did she feel completely rested when she woke up at the sound of her husband in the room.<p>

"What time is it?" She asked as he pulled the throw blanket over her shoulders.

"The sun's coming up," he whispered, "Go back to sleep."

"No," she struggled to sit up, "We have to find the baby."

"I'm going to ask Ms. Swan o do it."

"No," she pulled herself to a sitting position and stretched out the kinks in her back, "No. If she finds out about the agreement then she's not going to let you get the baby."

"Dawn, Dawn," he grabbed her shoulders, "You have to trust me."

"The more you keep saying that, the more I worry," she muttered, "When you're planning on following through with things you don't ask me to trust you. You just assume that I'm automatically going to. When you have to ask me to trust you then that's when I start to worry."

"Dawn-"

"I need you to be honest with me," she whispered and grabbed his hands, "Honey, I need you to be honest with me. Will we get this child?"

"There is a chance that we may not."

She felt her chest tighten. Tears formed in her eyes but she blinked them back, "Of course not…that would be too easy and if there's anything that says anything about our relationship it's that our lives are NEVER easy."

"Dawn-"

"You don't break deals," she said angrily, "You never make an exception now what could possibly happen to change that?"

"You won't understand."

"I understand that we're losing the chance to raise this baby because of something you're planning."

He drew a breath, "I need to get Emma Swan to owe me a favor."

She scoffed and shook her head, "Oh this is a new low for you."

"You need to trust me."

"Give me a good reason after you pulled this," she snapped angrily, "I don't ask you for anything. I go about my day and I put up with the fact that people are terrified of you and they shun me because of that. And that's alright because somewhere in here is someone with an antisocial personality disorder. You asked me to marry you so that you would have a companion and I do that. I wanted this one thing and it falls through and you expect me to trust you? Just so you can get Emma on your side."

"There will be other babies."

"And there will be other opportunities to get a favor," she told him.

"You need to calm down," he told her, "I told you that you wouldn't understand."

"Then explain it to me!" she demanded, "You've hated Regina for years and for some reason that hate runs deeper than just disliking her for how she runs this town."

She touched his face and forced him to look at her, "I know that we're not…there's not much to fight for in our relationship. But whatever we have…whatever this is then surely it's not worth throwing away for vengeance against Regina."

He pulled his face away from her touch and closed her hands, "There will be other children."

She felt her jaw clench as he put her hands in her lap and kissed her cheek, "Have a good day dear."

She waited until he was out of the house before she lowered her head in her hands and started sobbing.


	9. Chapter 9

**Once Upon a Time: **

It was a hard winter for the village that year. However God had blessed them with a good enough harvest so that they didn't have to worry about where they'd get their next meal.

However there was extra work in making sure the animals stayed warm. The snow would pile on the rooftops and collapse the poorer made houses and Rumpelstiltskin as well as the others spent most of their days rebuilding.

Dagian continued to grow stronger physically and emotionally as the days passed and started leaving the house more and integrating herself with the townsfolk. And sometimes he found himself at home for hours at a time when she left and he found himself uneasy with how quiet the house suddenly seemed even though most of their days beforehand was a certain kind of an awkward silence together that both had gotten used to.

"Baelfire is…going to ask me to eat with him tonight," Dagian told him as they sat at the spinning wheel one morning.

Rumpelstiltskin looked sharply at her and then quickly looked back at the wheel so that she didn't think he was jealous or something, "I wasn't aware that you were attracted to him."

"Well, he asked me and you're going to be gone all day. I didn't see any harm in saying yes," she said cleared her throat.

He didn't look at her. He didn't understand why he felt flair of anger shot through him. She was younger than he was and Baelfire was about the same age. All throughout his life all the other men had been better at everything than he was. Stronger, faster; most women were drawn to that. They hardly paid attention to him and this green eyed redhead would not be any different.

"I hope you have a good evening then," he said.

She blinked at the sudden edge in his tone, "Rumpelstiltskin?"

"I have something I need to do…outside," he said and stood.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day. <strong>

"You know honesty was something that we both agreed on when he asked me to marry him," Dawn told Archie as she sat on the couch in his office, "And if I hadn't kept asking that he tell me the truth then he would've just lied and I would've found out after spending all day excited about the idea that I was going to become a mother."

Archie was silent while she ranted. She knew that he was under Regina's thumb just like everyone else but she genuinely liked him. He was probably one of the few people here that actually seemed like he WANTED to do the right thing, but wasn't sure how to go about it.

"Your marriage seems more like a business deal than it does an actual marriage," Archie said and then his eyes grew at what he said, "Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-"

"No," Dawn held her hand up, "It was more of a business proposal than it was a…marriage proposal. And I'm fine with that. I know it's odd for people to hear it but I'm totally fine with not being in love with him as long as I feel secure in the relationship. I mean, I think I love him but not the way most people would define love. Scary as he is to everyone, he is quite good to me."

"And do you feel secure right now?"

"I feel angry," Dawn said and took a sip of her coffee, "I feel betrayed and I feel disappointed but I don't feel insecure. He's right. There will be more children so I don't think this is going to completely destroy our marriage. However, I do get at least a couple of days to feel angry. He owes me at least that."

"You've moved on…remarkably fast," Archie said.

She gave a small empty smile that made her think she was lying to herself more than she was lying to him, "I had a father that beat me till I was 19 and no one did anything about it except for my husband the night I married him. And I'm married to Mr. Gold. If there's anything I'm good at its hiding my disappointment and moving on from it."

* * *

><p>He had done it.<p>

He lost the chance to have a daughter, he'd disappointed his wife, and an irresponsible backstabbing couple now had that daughter they were ill-equipped to take care of her but at least he'd gotten what he'd wanted. It all came off without any trouble. Emma was now under his thumb and now he could just sit back and wait until she became useful.

Gold walked into the bedroom where he suspected his wife probably was. When most couples were angry with each other, one slept on the couch he'd been led to believe.

Both he and Dawn were far too stubborn to resort to those childish measures.

"Dear," he said, "Will you at least look at me?"

She sighed, sat up, and looked at him. Good, she was angry but she hadn't been crying. He could never deal with her when she'd been crying.

He'd been dreading this all day.

She looked at the Lilies that he'd brought her and shook her head, "Well you finally remember I hate roses. You only remember that when I'm very pissed at you."

"Well at least I remember it," he said with a shrug, "You have no idea how much I wanted to bring that baby home today."

"Then why didn't you?" she demanded, "Listen, I don't expect you to tell me everything that goes in your little head. I really don't want to know to be honest. I owe you everything. You took me out of a bad situation and gave me a chance. But I can't forgive you for this darling."

He looked down, "Dawn-"

"Not yet," she said and turned back over


	10. Chapter 10

**Once Upon A Time**

Rumpelstiltskin wasn't jealous of the idea of Baelfire courting Dagian, because he knew that he knew there was no opportunity with her. However he was…irritated and he couldn't explain why.

He opened his home to her because it was the closest one when they arrived. She was under no obligation to pay him back or only stay with him. Whatever relationship that his friend and his guest had was none of his business. He just didn't want to be alone again, but they could still be friends.

Then why was he bloody staying awake for her to come home?

It was an hour after sunset when she came home.

"What are you doing awake?" she asked as soon as she saw him at the wheel.

"I had work I needed to catch up on."

He saw her smile slightly, remove her shawl, and lay it on the bed.

"Did you have a nice time?" he asked while trying to act like he didn't care.

"Yes," She sat next to him and watched his face carefully, "We ate and he took me to walk by the creek."

"And will you see him again?"

He saw her smile out of the corner of his eye, "No."

"I thought you said you had a nice time."

"I did, but I have no interest in letting a man court me that I have no interest in marrying."

He looked at her, "He's a good man."

"IT wasn't Baelfire that saved my life that day you stumbled upon us on the road," she said simply, "It wasn't Baelfire that opened his home to me. It wasn't Baelfire that made sure I healed and it certainly isn't Baelfire that wakes me from my nightmares at night and sits up with me until I fall asleep. I'm not interested in Baelfire because I believe that I can do so much better than just a good man."

He felt a slight blush creep into his cheeks when she was done, "Me?"

She smiled warmly and nodded, "I would much rather be with you than anyone else I've ever met."

"I'm not…I can't- I'm not a leader, I'm not strong, I'm not-"

"I don't care about that," she whispered, "The measure of a man is not just based on their physical attributes, Rumpelstiltskin. Has no one ever told you that?"

He put his hand on the side of her face, "You would marry me?"

He had to be dreaming. Why should she seek him as a husband when there were far more candidates that would probably fight for her hand if she wanted them to. He knew that he would wake up, and things would be the same as they had always been.

But he knew that this wasn't a dream.

"I don't have a dowry," Dagian said, "In fact I have nothing to offer-."

"That doesn't matter," he said quickly, "Are you honestly considering this?"

"I've considered it for a while now," she said, "I was just waiting for you, and considering your reaction to the idea of letting Baelfire court me, I think it's' safe to say that you feel at least some affection towards me."

He closed his eyes and shook his head. This was NOT how he'd planned his evening to go. He needed time to think about this but he knew what his answer would be whether it was tonight or tomorrow or next week. He wanted a wife. He wanted a family, and he wanted to be loved. And she had been practically dropped at his feet by the higher powers. Was this his chance to ease that loneliness? Or was it a trick?

He really hoped it was the former, "I don't…when? If I said yes, when would you want to get this done?"

"I saw the cleric when walking back here," she said awkwardly.

"That quickly?"

She raised her eyebrows, "Is that a problem?"

"No I just…thought you would want more time to talk yourself out of this."

She looked hurt at the words and he immediately regretted it, "Perhaps you need time."

"No," he said, "I know what my answer would be. I just want to know if you're sure."

"Well I know what my answer would be. I just wanted to know if you were sure."

"Well, I say yes," he said and blushed again. He hoped she wouldn't hold that against him, he had never been proposed to before.

"Then let's get married," she said simply.

He stepped forward and kissed her. At first he thought that maybe he'd taken too many liberties, because she pulled back, "Dagian, I'm sorry."

"No Rumpelstiltskin, I would just like some warning next time," she said and returned the kiss.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Dawn hated the mornings that she woke up with a pounding migraine because it was probably a sign that she was going to spend the rest of the day in bed with the curtains drawn, the light out and praying that no screaming children were outside.

Sunday morning was one of those mornings.

She moaned as soon as she was conscious of the painful throbbing with what felt like every beat of her temple and forced her into a sitting position.

There was no way to tell where these migraines came from, specialists had come to examine her but there was no way to figure out where they came from. They just popped up 2 or 3 times a month and she had to deal with them.

She got up, closed the curtains and walked to the bathroom where she kept the medicine for the migraines. It didn't usually help but it took the edge off so that she could at least nap the rest of the day.

Dawn sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed her eyes. The movement woke her husband who turned over and looked at her, "Are you alright?"

"Migraine," she muttered.

He sat up, "How bad?"

"I've never had a hangover but I imagine this is close."

He moved closer to her and pulled her backwards. She lay back down and let him cover her. Whenever these migraines hit, he always took time to take care of her. It was one of the few times he showed vulnerability and a certain tenderness that she rarely saw. Most of the time there was affection but it was different than this. When he fawned over her like this then it gave her a glimpse of what might've happened if they actually lowered their defenses and loved each other.

She didn't like it.

"Do you need anything?" he asked her and pulled the comforter over her.

"No." she muttered.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," she muttered and hugged her pillow.

"Alright," he kissed her and then her cheek, "I'll be downstairs if you need anything."

She pulled the covers over her head and hoped that sleep would come back to her very soon.


	11. Chapter 11

**Once Upon A Time**

Rumpelstiltskin couldn't keep his eyes off his new wife as they stood in front of the cleric and as it was announced they were married he realized how really really rushed this was.

His mother had died when he was a child, and his father didn't believe in talking about things like this. He had no idea how to be a husband. He didn't even know if he wanted to marry her for her or because he was desperate to ease some of the loneliness he'd felt since his family was gone.

What if it went badly? What if he failed? What if this was her way of getting over the trauma and when she recovered, if she hadn't yet, she realized what a mistake it was and left him?

What if he was left alone again?

Dagian felt him looking at her and returned the gaze. She smiled warmly and tightened the grip on his hand.

And the loving gaze she gave him, the first emotions she really showed outside of grief made him forget every doubt he'd had going into this.

He would learn. They could be happy. He wasn't stronger than anyone here but he was excellent at reading people. He could figure this out.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Mr. Gold had done all he could to have control of his wife's ending for the curse. At the time he designed it, he'd been so angry with her and her abandonment of their family that he considered her nothing more than property that he'd earned when she gave her vows.

His anger had subsided since they'd been transported into this reality, but the feelings of betrayal. He didn't regret what he'd done; it made sense in his mind. She'd married him, and she'd made her vows. That was one thing. But since she couldn't stand being married to him in the Realms because of what people thought of him being the town coward, so the idea of her being married to him and being the town outcast because of it made sense in his mind.

It was a wonderful revenge.

And he didn't think of it as taking advantage of her in any way. The memories were changed a bit, but it was still similar. He'd saved her life. She married him because of it. There was nothing false about her memories, so there was nothing false about her feelings. They were all her own.

And whatever those feelings were…he still wasn't sure. Sometimes she acted like she wanted to try to be in a loving relationship despite his reluctance to and her denials about it. Other times she acted bitter and lonely and tried to distance herself from him. Maybe it was part of the curse. He didn't know.

Nor did he know where her headaches came from. The agony that she went through the days they hit her were what started the healing process in his anger and hate towards what she'd done. The first migraine that'd hit her lasted for three days. And the pain she'd been in…it should've been satisfying but it wasn't. It'd let him know that while it wasn't love, there were feelings that he still had for her.

"Honey," Dawn said as she came down the stairs, "Honey, it's two in the afternoon and I can't take another hour in that bed...

"And what do you expect me to do about it?" he asked.

"I don't know," she said and lay next to him on the couch. He had to turn on his side so that she could fit on here as well. HE didn't understand why she wanted to be down here, the bed was far more comfortable than the couch. With furniture like this it wasn't a wonder he only chose one day out of the week to lay around.

She used the arm that he'd been propping himself up on as a pillow.

He wrapped his other arm around her waist, "Do you feel any better?"

"I can hear some noises without feeling like my face have been slammed against the wall."

He shrugged, "That's an improvement I suppose."

She muttered and pulled the blanket he'd had over her shoulder.

He adjusted the blanket over both of them and kissed the back of her head, "Does this mean you forgive me?"

"Hmm. No. You just make a far better pillow."

He shook his head. She wasn't going to make this easy. Well he wouldn't enjoy it as much if she wasn't a challenge.


	12. Chapter 12

**Once Upon A Time**

Rumpelstiltskin knew that most people would know about the marriage by that afternoon. Small villages had a way of spreading news such as this around quickly and just as quickly they would both have to deal with well-wishers and those bringing gifts.

He was more than content to just lay here in the quiet with his new wife.

A thought hit him as he laid there. They were poor. He and the wife sleeping on his chest could probably scrape by fine, but what would happen if they had children? One child they could possibly provide for, but what happened if they had several?

"I think our son should have your eyes," Dagian whispered, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"It's a little bit early to think about that, isn't it?"

"Maybe if I hope for it beforehand then it'll come true."

"Wishes only come true for those that can afford it," he said and kissed her, "I have to get up."

"The wind sounds cold out there," Dagian whispered and grabbed his arm to keep him from getting up.

"Well, then we better get a lot of work done today," he said, "Because some of those roofs won't hold through another snowstorm."

"And then a couple of weeks later you'll have to replace them again, and then a couple of weeks after that. And to top it all off Dauis likes to ask you all to help him fix his home but he doesn't help anyone with theirs. And I'll be left with the village women and having to accept their congratulations all by myself. Stay with me."

"You know I can't."

"Only until this afternoon…come on. We're married now, and surely they won't come intruding on our time together. Except for Dauis maybe, because he's an imbecile."

"You shouldn't be so hard on him."

"He tried to dismiss my village's slaughter as someone else's problem and was more than content to leave the survivors to die."

Rumpelstiltskin scowled. He'd tried to keep things like that from her but someone in the village had a big mouth.

"Darling, you've done more for this village since I've been here then what they'd ever do for you. Now which would you rather do? Spend the morning out in the biting cold with them? Or with me?"

He pursed his lips, "Well now that you say it like that."

She pulled him back to the bed, "I knew you'd see it my way."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

"You had another one of your headaches recently."

Dawn looked up at Archie and rested her arm on the couch, "All of Sunday. The one day I have my husband to myself all day and we don't go anywhere and I get a migraine. You know, I always look forward to Sunday. We fix a big dinner, have a romantic evening and it's just…normal. And now I missed out for this weekend and it feels like my schedule's screwed up. Are you going to ask me how that makes me feel, doctor?"

Archie cleared his throat and turned the page, "Um…no. I talked to you about confronting your past a few weeks ago and you told me you'd consider it."

She felt all her muscles tense, "I thought you took 'I'd consider it' as an 'I'm not considering it'. And you'd leave me alone."

"You've referenced your past before, but you don't really talk about it."

"There's a reason I don't want to remember those days," she said. She realized that she sounded angry but he didn't stop.

"If you don't acknowledge your past then how do you expect to look ahead in the future?"

"Nice to see you're using the cliché-of-the-day calendar I bought you," she said sarcastically, "I appreciate what you're trying to do, doctor Hopper. Really. But I'm not that little scared girl anymore. I married my husband when I was 20 years old and Mr. Gold is who I've been for fifteen years. Why would you want to peel back any more of that?

"Because you don't want to."

"How about we talk about your experience trapped in the mine instead," she drew her knees up to her chest, "What was that like?"

"Mrs. Gold. I know you're here because you feel like you have no one else to talk to. But you also came here for me to help you heal with what you went through during your childhood. If you're not ready to confront that then that's fine, but I think that we know each other well enough personally and professionally for you to consider stepping out of your comfort zone."

"Not about that though," she grabbed her purse, "I think we should end our session for today."


	13. Chapter 13

"It's ridiculous that Doctor Hopper insists that I go back to my childhood," Dawn told her husband as they ate dinner that night, "I hired him to help me heal from it, not relive it again."

"And how do you expect to heal if you don't talk about what happened to you?" he asked and cut into his steak.

She sighed, she'd been hoping he wouldn't ask that but she should've known that he would, "I just don't want to relive those days."

"I know," he said, "But you don't talk about it to anyone. You don't talk about it to me, or the doctor, or…anyone. You lash out whenever someone brings it up-"

"All this coming from you," she muttered and drank her water.

"Exactly. If there's anyone that knows what they're talking about in this situation then it's me, darling. You don't want to grow to grow to be like me."

Dawn swallowed, he had a point there.

She took his hand, "I don't think you realize how horrible it was for me before you got me out of there."

She felt him tense slightly at the unguarded intimate gesture but he didn't pull away.

"I'll only talk about it if you're in there with me while I do it."

He stopped, "Why would you want me in there?"

"Because you're the only person that talks to me honestly and if you think that this is going to benefit me then you're going to be the one in that sits in that room with me and listens."

"I wasn't aware that we were in a marriage in which we tell each other what the other one is going to do with little or no choice."

"You know that's not what I meant," she said, "Not entirely anyway."

"And what exactly is it that you want me to do?"

"I just want you to know," she shrugged, "Because if I was ever going to tell anyone about what I went through then it was going to be you. It was never going to be anyone else."

* * *

><p><strong>Once Upon A Time<strong>

Winter passed and spring came. A time of new beginnings, a time for planting, a time for shearing the sheep of the wool they'd grown for the winter.

There was never an end of work that had to be done.

Dagian pulled her shawl around her shoulders and scanned the pasture for her husband. She found him sitting on the edge of the flock shearing sheep with Baelfire.

She approached them and beamed when her husband stood up. She knew he hadn't loved her when they married but was just adjusted to her. That'd changed since then. She didn't know when exactly but now he was quicker to smile when she approached. His eyes held a devotion to her that most women would envy if they bothered to look.

"Dagian," he approached her, "Are you alright?"

She smiled and nodded, "I need to talk to you."

"What is it?" he moved her away slightly from the others,

"Nothing's wrong, I just didn't want to wait till the day was over to tell you" she took his hands, "Darling-"

He seemed to read the news on her face because his eyes widened, "Really? You're sure?"

She felt the tears welling in her eyes and nodded, "The midwife confirmed it."

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her passionately. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tightly when he pulled back.

"I love you," he whispered.

She pulled back and rested her forehead on his, "I love you too."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

It was a pride thing, but Dawn hated apologizing to people. There was just something demeaning about the way they looked at you all smirking when you humbled yourself and admitted you were wrong (Even though she doubted she was wrong more often than naught))

But Archie was different. He was probably used to being lashed out at, but not by her. They usually had quiet peaceful conversations just as long as they avoided the topic of her upbringing.

"I lashed out at you the other day Doctor Hopper. And it wasn't meant to be that….angry. I am…so sorry. I honestly didn't mean for my anger to be directed at you."

He nodded, "Alright."

"I think I'm ready to…get this over with."

"Only if you think you're ready."

"Oh, I'll never be ready," her hand when to her husbands who was sitting quietly on the couch next to her, "But let's just get this over with."


	14. Chapter 14

Dawn rested her head on her husband's shoulder and stared at the open closet, "Honey?"

"Hm?" he asked without opening his eyes.

"Honey, the closet door is open and I don't want to get up because I'm comfortable. Any chance you want to close it?"

"No. Go to sleep."

"Okay…just…always looks like someone's standing there," she said and tried to close her eyes, "Oh forget it."

She threw back the comforter and wrapped her husband's shirt that was at the foot of the bed around her torso.

"This house is freezing," she muttered as she walked and closed the closet door.

"Well honey, it's a big house."

"I think this is all a conspiracy," she muttered, "The house stays cold so that I'm more open to the idea of cuddling under covers with you."

"Of course darling," he said and wrapped his arm around her shoulders when she crawled back into bed, "But you know that I don't need a cold house to get you in bed."

"Now if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to seduce me. Again. For the third time tonight."

He grabbed her hand and kissed it, "Are you alright?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure? Did it feel…like a burden was being lifted off when you were talking?"

"A little I guess. She sat cross-legged on the bed and held his hand, "You know, I wish I'd run away instead of just…sitting there."

"There was nowhere you could've gone," he turned on his side, "Sometimes running away isn't the best option. Sometimes you come to regret that decision forever."

Dawn tilted her head, "Honey, you okay."

He snapped back to whatever memory he was having, "I'm fine, just some…memories."

Dawn turned on her side and felt her husband scoot in behind her; she blindly reached for his hand and pulled it over her body.

"I was very proud of you today," he whispered and kissed her cheek.

"Thank you for going with me," she said and then smirked, "If I didn't know any better than I would think you cared."

"I don't. I was just curious at what you had to say."

She smiled, "Archie's gonna be so happy to know that we're having progress made in our relationship."

"Woman."

She pulled the pillow under her head, satisfied that she'd gotten what she wanted in teasing him, "When we get up in the morning I'm gonna go gush in my diary about how my husband loves me now."

* * *

><p><strong>Once Upon A Time<strong>

Dagian wrapped some string around some herbs and stood on the footstool to hang them up.

"What are you doing?"

She looked down to see her husband in the entrance of the door.

"Well, darling I'm getting some things done."

"I can do that," he walked to her and held his hand out, she accepted it and stepped down off the footstool, "You shouldn't be doing all this manual labor, you're pregnant. What if…what if you fell?"

"Pregnant women have been doing a lot more than this for centuries darling. I have work to do and we can't afford for me to just take every precaution."

"I know, but some of the men talk about how this early in the pregnancy is one of the most difficult times…"

"Rumpelstiltskin-"

"And I don't want you to lose the baby."

"I know." She wrapped her arms around his neck, "But I can't sit around doing nothing all day because you find a risk in everything."

"I understand."

"However I should add that you being protective is rather sweet."

He kissed her, "I don't think I'm going to be a good father."

"You're going to make a great father."

"I don't even know how. Darling, do you know how many people approached me with how they raised their kids?"

She nodded, "It happens to me far more than it happens to you darling."

"And all their advice contradicts each other and I don't know which one is right."

"Well, that's for us to decide, not them."

He wrapped his arms around her, "What if we make mistakes and our child grows up to be a murderer."

"Our child is not going to be a murderer." She rested her hands on either side of her face, "We're going to be alright."

He was about to say something but stopped when he heard someone screaming in the village.

"What in heaven's name?" Dagian wondered.

Rumpelstiltskin started towards the front of the door just as a man in armor walked through.

Dagian stopped in her tracks when she saw him scan the room and his eyes settled on her and her stomach.

"What is the meaning of this?" Rumpelstiltskin demanded.

"Take him. Leave her."

"No!" Dagian yelled and rushed to her husband, "No. Please don't!"

She reached him and grabbed his arm. One of the other soldiers stepped forward, grabbed her by her shoulders and pulled her away, "Don't make this any harder than it has to be."

Rumpelstiltskin shot a panicked look toward her, "I don't understand. What's happening?"

"By order of the Duke of the Frontlands you are to be recruited for the Ogre wars."

Dagian struggled hard against the guards, "Please don't take him! Please we're going to have a baby."

One of the men grabbed her, "Do you honestly think you're the first mother I've pulled the husband away from? You need to calm down and think of your baby. Because if you don't then you might lost both of them."

She pulled free and raced out the door. There was a wagon out in the middle of the village where most of the men were being herded. She saw Baelfire and Daius being forced in there and raced past the soldiers into her husband's arms.

"I love you," she whispered and held onto him tighter when one of the soldiers reached her, "Please come back to me."

"I will."

She let the soldiers pull her away and tried to keep from crying, "Promise me."

"I promise."

She let the guard lead her away from the wagon and turned so that he couldn't see her cry.

"Please just…" she looked at the man, "Tell me what's happening."

"We'll tell you in a few minutes," he said and then looked out where the rest of the women and elders were crying and trying to get to their loved ones, "May the gods forgive us for this."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day <strong>

Dawn was more than certain that she'd just dropped off to sleep when the phone on the nightstand rang.

"Honey?" she muttered.

"It's your phone," he told her tiredly.

"It's on your nightstand."

He sighed and answered it, "There better be a good reason why you're calling my wife in the middle of the night."

"I don't think I like the implications of that, sweetie," she muttered.

He turned back towards her and held the phone to her face, "It's Sidney."

"Great," she accepted the phone.

"I thought we had an agreement," he muttered, "No men calling you in the middle of the night, especially work or I'd divorce you."

"No you won't. I know too much," she put the phone against her ear, "Now Sidney, you promised."

She tried to focus to what Sidney was saying against the exhaustion and her husband kissing the back of her neck.

When he finally got around to what he was calling about, she sat straight out of bed, "What?"

"What is it?"

"Thanks Sidney," she hung up the phone and put her hand over her mouth.

"Dawn?"

She turned to him and took his hand, "Sheriff Graham died tonight."


	15. Chapter 15

**Once Upon A Time:**

For the sake of her baby and the other villagers that had not been chosen, Dagian knew that she had to remain calm.

It was easier said than done when faced with these barbarians the Duke called his army.

She kept to the side when the remaining of those that were unfit for recruitment were gathered in the middle of the village.

"The Duke has issued a proclamation of war toward the Ogres," one of the men explained, "We know that many of your men and women are not soldiers but strong numbers will turn the tide."

Dagian heard the obvious lie in the words. Not even this man believed them. She kept quiet but she wanted to scream that larger numbers only meant overconfidence and a larger mess to clean up.

She blinked, it turned out that she had been paying attention to her father's tales of the old wars.

She placed her hand on her stomach, "When will they come home?"

The man stopped, "What?"

"Our families, when do they come home, you rip them from our arms then you better have a time in which they're returned to us."

She kept her head held even though she knew that every eye was currently on her. She'd spent this year…being a survivor, then a guest, then a wife…who never quite fit in because of her reluctance to bond with the others.

"They'll be allowed to come home when their time is served."

"And when will that be?"

"When we decide it."

The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, "You're just taking them to the slaughter so that you're not in their place, aren't you?"

He was silent, "What would a little girl know about that?"

"My father spoke of men like you," she held his gaze even though she was about to step dangerously over the line, "He called you the great cowards. Putting the weak and helpless in front of you so that you might survive."

The slap nearly knocked her off her feet and her mouth filled with blood. She put her hands out to keep from falling on her stomach and straightened up. Tears threatened to spill from the pain and humiliation she'd just suffered but her pride refused to let her do so. She'd survived worse than a coward.

She spit the blood at his feet, "Is that truly the best you can do?"

He reached for his dagger but the soldier that had been…kinder to her earlier stopped him, "That's enough!"

She turned on her heel and walked to her house. She didn't look behind her to know that the soldier that had come to her aid was following her.

"Are you insane?" he asked her when they were alone, "Do you realize what you just nearly cost yourself?"

"You have no right to come into my home," she said resigned.

"It could be considered treason you know. What you just did…what you accused the Duke of doing when he sent out the recruiters."

"Just leave me alone," she laid down on the bed, her back facing him.

"You don't understand. These times are about to get rough, woman. If you cause trouble here than your husband is going to feel the brunt of it when the recruiters take more people to the training grounds. Trust me, my lady. You need to keep your mouth shut if you ever want to see your husband again."

She felt the tears spilling down her face as she turned to look at him. Her husband was a number; she knew that he had a very small chance of ever coming home.

He gave her a small bow and left her home.

She pulled the blanket over herself and sobbed into the pillow until she finally drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

The funeral turned out to be a larger affair than Mr. Gold had thought it would be; which benefitted him because it gave him the chance to look around.

Dawn stood next to him and held his hand. Neither one had been close to the sheriff but his death had affected her. She'd been constantly at the newspaper, interviewing people right and left, screening calls, trying to stay on top of everything. She was tired and when she was tired she got emotional. If there was any reason he couldn't wait for the funeral to be over it was so that the phone would stop ringing and they could get a decent sleep.

Ms. Swan looked like she was barely holding it together. She'd been the one that he'd been with when he died and the raw emotion written all over her face showed that more had happened that night than just two employees at the same workplace. He knew that look very well. It was the same look that people had when they let down their walls and were left bitterly disappointed.

He stared at Regina who stood closest to the plot with Emma's son. She tried her best to keep her face emotionless but he could still see the rage, grief, and regret that haunted her eyes for years in the Realms. He couldn't say he felt any sympathy for her. He knew that she was responsible and what made it extremely unnerving was that there was no cause in it. She was guided by her emotions. Just like she always was. And people suffered for it.

He knew that he wasn't exactly an angel in terms of what he'd done. But he'd done his best to write emotions out of the decisions that he made. It was all strategy. Emotions led to predictability and weakness. He'd found that out the hard way and he did his best to make sure that he didn't fall into that trap.

Perhaps that was another reason he'd put himself with Dawn. So that Regina wouldn't catch on when he formed no relation in the town. After all, they had 28 years in this town and they were the only two that knew what was going on. She'd catch on rather quickly if he followed all the lessons that he'd taught her.

Still…he hadn't expected this. Oh, he expected casualties and lots of them but he didn't expect it to be this quickly. He thought he'd have more time.

He needed to draw back for a couple of days. Rethink the strategy. Emma was deputy and she would become sheriff soon. Regina would probably fight that. He needed to think of something to get her that sheriff's position quickly without using that favor she owed him.

"Honey," Dawn said with a lot of strain in her voice. She was coming down with something. He wasn't surprised with all the stress she'd been under and how messed up her schedule was now, "Honey I think it's about over."

"Alright," he tugged her gently away from the crowd and led her to their car. She climbed in the driver's seat and rested her hand against her eyes and drew a shaky breath.

"Are you alright?" he asked. He hated dealing with her when she was crying.

"Yeah," she pulled her hands away and rested her fingers against her temples, "I'm fine."

"You don't look it."

"He was just…so young."

He nodded, since he and Dawn were about the oldest beings in this town, it certainly put things into a different perspective.

"I'd like for you to stay with me today," he told her.

"Honey, I'm not in the condition to be going anywhere."

"Well that's too bad."

She sighed, "Where did you want to go?"

"To the cabin for a few days."

"I have to cover the funeral."

"Sidney can do his own job for once. You've done more than your fair share."

She looked at him in confusion, "And why would you want to go there? You hate that place unless you're doing one of those shady dealings that everyone knows about but no one does anything."

"Because there is no cell phone reception up there and it'll give us a chance to rest without having to answer your bloody ringing phone. "

"I'll get fired," she said in a singsong voice but after this week she didn't sound that regretful about losing her position.

"Their loss," he said as Dawn turned on the ignition, "I didn't like you working at that glorified gossip column anyway."

"Honey, you're so sweet," she looked over her shoulder and pulled out, "Quitting gives me the perfect excuse to stop digging in Emma Swan's life."

"You didn't tell me you had to do that," he said with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, Regina's been trying to get the juvie records opened for a while now. You know I think she's really threatened by her. I don't think I've ever seen that Ice Queen Squirm."

He was quiet for the few minutes it took for them to drive into the driveway.

"Pack a few things you'll need at the cabin," he told her.

"Well honey, if you're hoping for a romantic few days you're not going to get it. I'm so tired I think I'm just going to rest and rethink some things"

He looked at her, "You won't be the only one, dear."


	16. Chapter 16

Dawn handed some hot chocolate to her husband and sat next to him on the couch, "You've got that look, darling."

"What look?" he muttered and tore his gaze from the fireplace.

"Like you're planning something," she said and took a sip.

He looked into the mirror, "It's only my face."

"I know that glint in your eye darling I've been looking at it forever."

He sighed and rubbed his temples; he might as well talk about it. She'd find out soon enough anyway and it'd been two days since they'd come here and he was just BORED, "I need to get Emma that position as Sheriff."

Dawn raised her eyebrow and wrapped the blanket around herself, "I thought that position went to her automatically."

"Not if Regina has anything to say about it."

"Well that figures," Dawn muttered, "If you're so concerned about it then maybe we should head back home."

"No, she'll do it on the last possible day because she wants to be as dramatic as possible."

"Right," Dawn said, "So what are you thinking?"

"I think Regina will put someone she can control in charge."

"So, she's considering most of the town then?"

"I think it might be Mr. Glass"

She looked at him and burst out laughing, "Are you serious? Because honey, if you're not…don't be offended but sometimes I can't tell when you joke."

"I'm being absolutely serious."

She tried to suppress the giggles, "What would HE know about being sheriff? The-the only reason the newspaper isn't bankrupt from lawsuits is because no one took us seriously enough to even bother."

"And he's one of her more loyal….friends," he grimaced at the word, "and he will do everything she wants without question."

"Last thing we need is one of those again," she said and took another sip.

"Yes well Graham was in a bit of a more difficult position," he muttered and looked back at the fire.

"How so?"

"It doesn't matter," he dismissed it.

"Right," she said doubtfully, "So how are you going to get Emma that position?"

"Well it's not going to be done the wholesome proper way. Regina's going to pull out all the stops to make sure Emma doesn't get elected and Emma refusing to fight back on nearly the same level isn't going to do her any favors. She's still a stranger in this town and no one knows her as well as they know Sidney."

"But Emma's contributed far more. She led the rescue on Dr. Hopper and her son from that mine collapse and she actually has some experience from her stay as a bounty hunter, which should count for something."

"Everyone's still under Regina's reign."

"Well then you support her. It's been a highlight of your life here that people are far more scared of you."

"It's still going to take a lot more than that darling, I think I would prefer to remain in the shadows as much as possible on this one."

"So then how are you going to do it?"

He laughed, "It's going to sound insane."

"When has that ever stopped you?"

"We need to paint her as a hero. If she's going to get the respect of people then she's going to have to stand up to me and Regina. Everyone's seen her stand up to Regina multiple times so the shock effects on that have worn off so they need to have her stand up to me in a very public way."

"Just for the record…am I going to like where you're going with how you're going to get her to stand up to you?"

"I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet," he told her. Really he still had a few variables that he needed to work out, "But if you're completely comfortable with what I do, it'll be a surprise."

"Well thank you for letting me know ahead of time," she muttered and set the empty mug down, "Honey?"

"What?" he said and stood up to put out the fire.

"We're definitely going home tomorrow, right? I mean I like spending a couple of days out here for the romantic value but four days is a little much. I'm bored."

"Yes," he helped her off the couch, "We're definitely going home tomorrow."

She sighed and rolled her head back, "Thank you!"

"You know, if you were bored I imagine I could've thought of something to entertain you."

She laughed, "I'll be you would have.


	17. Chapter 17

**Once Upon a Time**

That morning that Rumpelstiltskin woke up, he could feel the tension in the camp.

It'd been three months since he'd been recruited. They'd separated the villagers into different units and he'd been put in one with people he didn't recognize.

No bonds were formed in those three months. The strong took what they wanted and the others were left to fend for themselves. It wasn't time to make friends it was a time for survival.

But there were whispers about the mission they were moving out on today. And all that rigorous training and abuse they'd suffered through was going to amount to nothing.

He was going to die today.

"Fall in!"

He stood from the cot and got in line with the rest of his unit. Their commander was yelling something but he couldn't focus…and judging from the expressions of some of the others in the unit they were having the exact same problem.

He wished he'd had more time. He wished that he'd been brave enough to marry Dawn earlier.

He wished he could see his family one last time.

* * *

><p><strong> Present Day<strong>

Dawn smiled as she opened the door to her husband's pawn shop and walked in, "Honey?"

She could smell the lanolin from the front. She'd seen most people practically run from the store when they smelled it but it didn't bother her. She never understood why.

"Honey," she walked through the curtain and sat on the desk where he was working, "Guess what?"

"You're sitting on my table, darling."

"I don't want to find a chair," she crossed her legs, "Besides it's easier to sit on a table then it is in a chair right now. The cold front's coming in and my knees aren't 25 years old anymore."

"What are you so excited about?"

"I got a job."

"You got a job?" he raised his eyebrow, "We've only been home a week and a half and you've been sick for most of that week."

"I'm managing the bakery," she smirked, "It's only part time but the poor man, bless his heart, isn't getting any younger either and so he needed some help. It'll be less time than I've worked in the paper so you don't have to sleep by yourself anymore. No romantic nights being ruined"

"I just have to wake up alone."

"Oh, only three times a week. You're a big boy; you can make your own breakfast and wake yourself up. Hopefully not in that order."

"And what would you know about managing a bakery? "

"Absolutely nothing, but I convinced him that I'm a fast learner," she moved so that she was facing him, "Being your trophy wife is great but it's only amazing if there's things to do like lying beside a pool all day and wearing skanky clothes."

"That's very stereotypical of you."

"Well honey you know that I wouldn't look good in skimpy clothes."

"You would look fine."

"With these scars honey, come on."

Her eyes fell on the small thin scar that circled her wrist completely. . She didn't remember where she'd gotten that one. It'd just always been there.

"You shouldn't be ashamed of those," he stood and kissed her cheek, "They don't speak of weakness, they speak of survival."

"Well that's your interpretation," she muttered and kissed him back, "Also you should know that you don't have to come to therapy with me anymore. I talked to Archie earlier today and he said that he wanted to move on from the abusive childhood which probably means we're going to focus on how I met you and how we got married."

"And you don't want me there for that?"

"Well you can if you want to. I mean I don't care. I mean, you were there for that. I just figured since you only went because I asked you to, then you wouldn't bother since I'm more comfortable talking about us then… before there was an 'us'."

"Whatever you want," he put his hand over the wrist that had the scar, "I'll see you at home."

"Okay, hey don't stop and eat anywhere. I'm cooking chicken tonight."

"Alright," he moved back in the chair, "Have a good day darling."

She smiled and walked out of the story, "Hello Ms. Swan."

"Hello Mrs. Gold," she said and turned as soon as she passed her, "Hey, what does your husband want with me?"

Dawn shrugged, "No idea."


	18. Chapter 18

**Once Upon A Time**

The screaming was the first thing that hit Rumpelstiltskin when they entered the battlefield. There had been units sent before his unit and they'd easily been dealt with by the ogres. The bodies were…mangled…they didn't look human anymore.

And the screams…oh gods, the screams. They made his hair stand up on the back of his neck as soon as he heard it…and any courage on the rest of the unit's faces was lost as soon as the ogre's laid their eyes on them.

There were far more than that their superiors had said there'd be.

"Rumpelstiltskin!"

He looked over his shoulder and his eyes widened at the familiar face, "Baelfire"

The man quickly left his unit and grabbed his friend's shoulders in greeting, "Thank the gods, have you seen any of the others?"

Rumpelstiltskin shook his head, "No, they separated all of us."

Baelfire's face fell, "I heard they sent Dauis back to be a recruiter. I was hoping it'd be you considering your about to have a family and Dauis is more a warrior than he is a talker. However I suppose social status can certainly get you what you want."

"Well it appears it's not the case," Rumpelstiltskin muttered and swallowed as the Ogres started towards them, "It's what's to be expected."

Baelfire watched them and reached for his sword, "NO matter what happens, brother. Stay with me. I'll look after you."

* * *

><p>The months of her husband's absence passed slowly for Dagian.<p>

More recruiters came. They took the elderly, they took the women that they'd left behind before, only those with child were left behind. Pregnant women, children, and those too weak to fight.

There was too much work to be done for her to just sit around staring into space. But she might as well have been.

The house smelled like him and the reminder was too painful for her to sit there all day trying to spin the wool. So she moved the wheel outside, however the red skies also served as a distraction.

He could be lying dead in some field and no one would know who he was. No one would bring his body home and she would…she would never know.

The day the skies seemed redder than usual, her child woke her by kicking her relentlessly. She didn't believe …in things like fairies or godmothers or signs but the child's movement that skies did bother her, and she found she couldn't concentrate on her work.

"Dagian?"

She looked up to see the recruiter that had talked to her several times before standing next to her. He had told her before that her village had suffered the most because they were the closest to the front lands with enough people to recruit and not enough supplies to fight back with. When he was nearby he did everything he could to provide for her village whether it be with money or supplies that he was able to confiscate for the less fortunate.

She didn't even know his name.

"What are you doing?" he asked her.

She looked at the small field of pinkish purple lilies that her husband took her to when they were together. It was a good place to remember him without it being too painful that she couldn't breathe.

And it was a good place to watch the skies.

She felt a tear slip down her face and she pressed her hands on her growing stomach, "I think it's time."

He sat next to her quietly, "May the gods have mercy."

"The gods never show mercy for us," she whispered, "Everything we get it's…it's gone before we can…You never even let us say goodbye to them."

"I had no choice Dagian."

She drew up her knees, "Just go."

* * *

><p>No amount of training could've ever prepared Rumpelstiltskin for what he saw and experienced that day.<p>

They came at them hard. They came at them fast. Ogres were naturally larger than humans with thicker flesh and possessed such a strength and stamina that they quickly realized that their weapons were useless in comparison.

Rumpelstiltskin dropped his sword when he saw that the other weapons issued out were making no impact.

An ogre came at him with a club and he tried to move. It was no use and the club collided with his leg. It sent him and several others flying backwards and pain seared down his hip and through his leg.

The same ogre stood over him and raised his club to deliver the final blow. Rumpelstiltskin braced himself for death but the blow never came.

Baelfire stood over him and threw a large axe at the ogre. The thing screamed, grabbed Baelfire and slammed him so hard against the ground that Rumpelstiltskin heard several bones shatter on impact.

The ogre stared at Baelfire's broken body and moved on, leaving Rumpelstiltskin forgotten about.

Rumpelstiltskin tried the weight in his leg and realized that he could at least hold some weight.

He hurried over to his friend's side and grabbed his shoulders, "Bae."

Baelfire coughed up blood, his eyes were glazing over and Rumpelstiltskin knew that he didn't have much time, "You saved my life."

"Listen to me," Baelfire whispered, "You need to run."

"Do you realize what they'd do to me if I did that?" Rumpelstiltskin asked incredulously.

"By king's law you shouldn't even be here right now," Baelfire whispered, "You have a family, Rumpelstiltskin. Go to them."

Rumpelstiltskin felt Baelfire's muscles relax under his touch and he immediately released the body.

He knelt in shocked silence and stared at the battle. The others had moved on and he was left alone.

They were being slaughtered and there was no winning. The way these…brainless things won over them easily was a terrifying sight to watch. He could only imagine that his wife had seen something like this when her village had been massacred by these same beasts.

They could never win this.

He stood and used one of the poles to help hold himself up. He was scared that if he put too much weight into it that he would make the injury worse.

Baelfire was right. He had a child on the way. He wasn't even supposed to be here but the Duke never paid heed to the King's law.

So he did something that he knew he'd regret for the rest of his life.

He ran.

**Present Day**

The dreams of the battle had always haunted Mr. Gold. They haunted him when he was human, they haunted him as the dark one, and they haunted him now. At this point of his long life he'd come to accept the fact that his past would follow him for the rest of his life.

It didn't make it any less easy to live with though.

His eyes shot open as soon as he dreamed of how the ogre slammed the club against his leg and he forced his eyes open and sat up.

He was safe. He was in his bed in Storybrooke and he was safe.

Dawn sat up next to him with a bewildered look on her face, "Honey?"

He looked at her and flinched when she touched his wrist.

Even though it was dark, he could see the concern on his face, "Are you alright?"

He took a few breaths and waited for his heart to stop pounding in his chest, "I'm alright Dawn. Just a nightmare."

She interlocked her fingers in his, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." he lay down with his back facing her, "I don't."

She stayed sitting up for a few seconds and then lay right behind him. Her fingers still interlocked with his.

"It's okay," she whispered, "Whatever it is, you're safe."

He stared at the wall. She meant well but until Regina was removed from her little throne then none of them would be safe.


	19. Chapter 19

Mr. Gold placed the lanolin soaked cloth in the satchel and handed it to the rather tall man that he kept under his employ, "Don't let anyone see you set this up, I can't have this coming back to me."

"Yes sir."

His employee would blend in. He kept busy with the construction work at town hall when Gold wasn't paying him to be his bodyguard and as long as Mr. Gold kept his paycheck coming then eh wouldn't ask questions about what Mr. Gold was planning.

His employee turned and walked out the door, passing Dawn as she came into the shop, "What's Mr. White doing here?"

"Oh, nothing that concerns you dear."

"Does it have to do with that thing you were telling me about in the cabin about getting Ms. Swan her place as sheriff?"

He nodded and gave her a quick kiss, "You smell good."

"I just got off work," she smiled, "Didn't see any harm in popping by to see you."

"I figured as much when you were already gone this morning," he muttered wryly, "I can't say that I especially like this new arrangement but I suppose it's better than you working at the newspaper all night."

"It certainly gives us more quality time together," she smiled and kissed him again.

He raised his eyebrow, "Are you planning something for tonight, my dear."

"Always up for anything," she whispered, "Question is…are you?"

"I'll be late coming home but I should be home in time for whatever you have planned."

"Okay," she smiled, "I'll see you at home."

* * *

><p><strong>Once Upon A Time<strong>

Dagian hugged her enlarged womb and stared at the dark ceiling of her small house.

It was going to be a rough harvest. The women had done their best to plant and tend the fields but it was hard when men were more used to doing that part of the work than they were.

It was going to be a long winter.

The baby kicked her and she winced. Just another month and a half at least and she would have a son or a daughter.

What if it died?

The thought had occurred to her several times as she lay alone at night and it never failed to send an icy pang of fear down her back. She had no one. Her family was dead; she'd seen them slaughtered. Rumpelstiltskin was most likely dead; she'd heard whispers that they'd sent in several units three weeks ago and it'd ended in slaughter.

No one would answer on whether or not the units were from their parts of the front lands. Even the recruiter that had taken a shine to her for some reason refused to give her any information.

The refusal to give an answer was their answer and in those three weeks from the time she sat in the field till now the remainder of the village had sunk into a crushing depression.

She was alone and it was going to be a rough winter; what was she going to do in the likely event that her child didn't survive?

For another night, she fell into a fitful sleep. She didn't know how long she dozed but the next thing she remembered was being shaken awake by one of the women in the village.

"Dagian, you're husband's back."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Dawn opened the cabinet doors and placed the two candlesticks inside.

She fully doubted that she'd be able to spend a romantic evening with her husband after she just got the call about what she suspected he was responsible for.

She'd quit the newspaper weeks ago but she still got texts. Sidney had yet to take her off their little list and so she'd heard about everything from the horse's mouth.

The front door opened as she closed the cabinet doors.

"Hello my dear," he greeted, "You look lovely tonight."

She looked down at the black dress, "It's the same dress I always wear when we do this."

"You still look lovely," he came towards her and kissed her cheek.

She pulled away slightly and glared at him.

He pushed some of her hair back from her face, "What's wrong?"

"I suppose that 'hey honey, I'm going to start a fire in town hall where people go' would've sounded insane when we were talking about it."

His face dropped from the smile that he was sporting, "Because when we were at the cabin, I hadn't thought about what I wanted to do yet."

She rolled her eyes, "You know I try to be honest with you. I just wish sometimes you'd be completely honest with me."

He sighed, "Dawn."

"Someone could've gotten hurt."

He shrugged, "They didn't."

"Why didn't you tell me? I mean seriously, is it a trust thing because who on Earth would I go blabbing it to?"

"Because I have to wonder if you'd stand beside me."

"If it means that Sidney Glass isn't going to be sheriff then I'll definitely stand beside you no matter what you'd do," she muttered, "And I think that I'd stand beside you for more than what you seem to give me credit for. But I would really like to know what's going on so I CAN support you. I have your back for far more than what you think I do."

"No you don't," he whispered, "No one ever does."

"Well that's unfortunate that you believe that," Dawn told him, "I don't…I don't know what's fully happened in your life to make you like the way you are. But some days you trust me to talk to me openly…like that day in the cabin and then other days you close yourself in and refuse to let me know what's going on in that little head of yours. I just wish you'd make up your mind darling. This little yo-yo temperament that you have gets old."

She hopped off the table, "Dinner's on the stove."

* * *

><p><strong>Once Upon A Time<strong>

Ever since Dagian was a child she had vivid dreams and nightmares that sometimes had her questioning what was real and what was not.

Ever since her husband was ripped away from her, she'd had multiple dreams that he came home. And then she'd wake up in her cold empty bed and find it was just that. A dream.

But this one…it felt different. She could feel the grass and rocks under her feet as she walked as fast as she could toward the entrance of the village.

Tears fell down her face before she even reached the square. He was home. He was alive. This wasn't a dream…it couldn't be…she couldn't live with it anymore if it was just another dream.

She knew it wasn't a dream as soon as she turned the corner of one of the houses and her husband stood.

In her dreams he was always the same. He always looked the same as the day he was dragged away but here he was different.

He was bloody and malnourished and filthy, but she didn't notice any of that because she had been surrounded by that all her life.

His eyes….they were so different. Haunted, exhausted, sad, desperate…

She wasn't aware that anyone was standing in the square with him when she started off towards him.

He was home, he was home, he was home...

He launched towards her and she faltered a little when he wrapped his arms around her as tightly as he possibly could. She struggled to keep her balance and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I love you," he pulled back and kissed her several times. She was so shocked at his sudden return that she could barely return the gesture. , "Dagian, I love you."

She stood stunned for a few seconds.

It was real. It wasn't a dream. He was hope.

She tightened her embrace, buried her face in his shoulder and cried.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Mr. Gold spent many years hating his wife for the things that she'd done against him when they were in the fairy tale realm. He'd spent long hours planning just how he was going to get his revenge on her especially for her sins.

But the years passed and his thirst for revenge started to become quenched when they both settled into their…odd little codependent relationship.

Despite everything she'd done to him, he still trusted her. There was an understanding and respect between the two that neither one could fully comprehend. It was just there.

But despite the trust that he did allow himself to have with her, there were still restrictions he had with how much he divulged to her and how much she knew and that was about to be challenged.

When he came into the bedroom she was exiting the bathroom wearing sweats and a tank top.

"Alright dear," he placed his cane in front of him and leaned on it, "You want me to trust you more? You got your wish. Please don't make me regret it."

Dawn smiled, wrapped her arms around her neck and kissed him, "I think that's one of the most romantic things I've ever heard you say."


	20. Chapter 20

**Once Upon A Time**

Dagian held her husband's hand and led him through the curtain that served as their door.

"Are you…," she helped him sit down at the small bench, "Are you alright?"

His eyes drifted and he focused back on her, "I would've come back sooner but I couldn't…there's no map location of the village and the recruiters were everywhere."

"It's okay," she whispered, "I'm just….so happy you're home."

She kissed him again and wrapped her arms around his neck, "I'm going to make you something to eat. Um…and I'm going to…clothes too…and the tub…and water…there's a lot to do and-"

He grabbed her as she stood up, "Dagian please."

She knelt back down, "Just…tell me what you need."

He rested his hand on the side of her face, and stared at her as if he couldn't believe she was actually there, "Just stay with me."

She nodded and put her hand against his, "Alright."

She moved so that she could sit next to him, "Are you alright?"

He averted his gaze, immediately he looked even more tired and drawn than he had when she saw him for the first time in months tonight.

"Dagian, it's…there are no words out there to describe what I've seen."

Tears fell down her face and she rested her forehead against his, "I didn't think you'd come home. I thought-…" she stopped and drew in a shaky breath, "I was so scared that I was never going to see you again."

He didn't say anything, but she felt his grip on her tighten slightly.

"Dagian," he whispered and slipped his hands into hers, "Is the- is the baby okay?"

She nodded and rested his hand on her belly, "The midwife says that with the amount he kicks me that he'll be healthy."

"What makes you so certain it's a boy?"

"I don't know," she said, "It's just something to call him."

He started trembling and without releasing her hand from his, reached over and grabbed the blanket that was folded at the end of the bed, "You're shivering."

He wrapped the blanket around himself and her, "I…I hurt my leg in battle."

"Is that why you're home?"

He hesitated and nodded, "I don't think it'll heal completely."

"That's fine," she saw his dirty bloody walking stick laying on the floor that was almost as filthy as he was, "I don't care that you're hurt. Maybe it's better that way. If you're injured then they won't come for you again."

"But that won't stop them from coming after you if this war isn't over by the time our son is weaned."

She felt that heavy weight settle back in her chest, "We'll find a way."

"I don't want you going through that…I don't care what happens-"

"Shh," she kissed him, "We'll think about it later. But not tonight. You're home now, let's just be thankful for that."

His eyes grew distant, "I don't think I can."

"Rumpelstiltskin," she whispered and rested her hands on his face.

"Dagian, we have no chance of winning this war. And if this war continues then I might lose you and I might lose our child. Dagian, why should I be grateful about that?"

She felt her eyes filling up with tears and she tried to manage a smile, "You're not going to lose us."

He clenched her hands in a painfully tight grasp but she didn't cry out. Instead she welcomed some of the pain. He was home now. And she'd the same look in his eyes that her father had sometimes had. She could try and help him heal. She knew some of what her mother had done and even though he'd always have that reminder of what he'd been through with his leg she knew that he could get over the trauma.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He shook his head, "No. Please, I don't….I don't ever want to talk about what I saw."

"Okay," she said softly. She knew from experience that pushing someone to talk about their trauma would only make the person draw back more.

He would talk when he was ready.

"Then what do you want me to do for you?" Dagian asked.

"I just want you to stay with me."

She lifted her legs on the bed, "You know I'm here."

"I know I'm filthy-"

"I don't care," she repeated, "If a little dirt and blood bothered me then I wouldn't have married a sheep farmer."

"This is different."

"I know," she nodded, "But I still don't care."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Dawn pulled her pants over her hips and had to pull her stomach in in order to close the jeans, "I think I'm gaining weight."

"How?" her husband said as he adjusted his tie, "You walk everywhere."

"Must be gaining weight from smelling bread all day," she grabbed a light coat and pulled it on.

"Why are you even going to the debate?" he asked, "I thought you hated public gatherings. I usually have to bribe you to get you to come with me so that "I" have someone to talk to and mock everyone else with."

"Oh trust me, I wouldn't miss this for the world." She grabbed her purse and handed her grabbed her husband's cane and handed it to him, "I want to see if this insane plan of yours works darling."

"Would you like to place a bet darling?"

"Oh no," she smiled, "I learned a long time ago to never bet against you."

"Wise woman," he kissed her and took her hand. He shouldn't have admitted it but now that he'd decided to trust her a little bit more a burden had been lifted off his chest. Ignorance caused almost as much death as love did.

"Well," she shouldered her purse, "Let's go get ready to stab our eyes out in boredom."

* * *

><p><strong>Once Upon A Time<strong>

It was a week before Rumpelstiltskin was able to sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time.

That didn't mean that Rumpelstiltskin was healing though. He still slept fitfully and tossed and turned. He rarely let her out of his sight. Dagian really didn't mind. She was scared that if she let him out of her sight then she'd wake up and find that his return was just a dream and he'd be dead.

But she wasn't far enough away from the others that she didn't hear the talk of the townsfolk. They questioned how he came home so early, they questioned if his injury was a legitimate reason to come home. They wanted to know if there was something more that had happened.

She put it out of her mind. She hated village talk. They'd made her the subject of their gossip when her husband was gone and the recruiter would come to visit.

Gods, she hoped those lies wouldn't reach her husband's ears. He was recovering from war he didn't need to hear the vicious lies that the women spread to pass the time.

After a week and a half Rumpelstiltskin's hands had stopped shaking enough so that he could work again and Dagian stayed by his side just like she did after she'd been ambushed. And just like last time both of them slipped into a tense yet comfortable silence that both were content with.

He still didn't talk about what he'd seen.

The baby kicked her hard and her hand automatically went to her stomach. She didn't know how much longer she could sit on this uncomfortable bench.

Rumpelstiltskin stopped spinning and looked at where she placed her hand, "If it's a boy I want to name it Baelfire."

Well that made sense, they had been close friends since childhood but from the tone in his voice there was something more there.

She could give him this, "Alright."

He gave her a half smile. The first genuine one that he'd had after they'd seen each other

"He died saving my life."

"Then it's the least we can do."

The curtain that served as their door flew open and one of the other pregnant women came through, "The recruiters are back."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

As Dawn watched the debate at town hall unfold she couldn't help but think her husband was some kind of actor in another life. His ability to keep a straight face and look shocked and angry that Emma would call him out in front of the entire town was astounding.

Dawn really wondered what her husband's ultimate goal was in placing Emma for sheriff. Sure no one REALLY wanted to see Sidney get it and Emma still owed him that favor…but there had to be something more to it. There always was with him.

She looked at Ms. Swan as she still talked. She didn't hate Emma Swan for her part in the Boyd brat getting to keep her baby. She didn't even necessarily blame Emma for doing what she thought was right. Her husband had put his mind on a goal and he was going to get what he wanted to matter who or what got in the way. Emma had been a pawn.

But why on Earth was he taking such an interest in her of all people? Was she a challenge because sometimes she seemed like the only one that the Mayor didn't have in her pocket? Or was there another interest?

Was Emma a threat to what Dawn and her husband had?

If that was the case then Dawn had no qualms about locking her husband up in the cabin in the woods and reminding him why he'd chosen her and why they'd stayed together for all these years.

"And the worst part of all this was….the worse part of all this _is_...," Emma corrected herself, "I let you all think it was real. And I can't win that way."

She was really laying it on thick, wasn't she?

"I'm sorry," she apologized to the people that actually cared enough to attend.

Dawn waited until her husband stood up before she pretended to reluctantly stand up and followed him out the door.

"Well done darling," she said and kissed his cheek as soon as the door closed behind him, "Did it go as well as you would've hoped?"

"We'll see," his hand slipped into hers, "Well darling, you'll finally get me to admit it."

"Admit what?"

"I almost regret the fact that you don't work at the newspaper anymore because I have a feeling that we'd find out what was going on a lot sooner than we will."


	21. Chapter 21

**Once Upon A Time**

Dagian felt her husband's hand immediately tighten on hers in a crushing grip that nearly left her crying out in pain.

He looked at her in a panic, "They're stil coming here?"

"They always come here," Dagian replied angrily, "They took everyone who could fight a long time ago and they still come to eat our food and sleep in our houses and pick clean anything we have.

"They're going to send me back," he whispered and looked lat her like he was on the verge of breaking down entirely.

"Why would they do that?" she asked, "You're wounded, you can't f-"

The curtain was pulled back at the recruiter that she hoped also counted as her friend stepped through. His eyes fell on her first and he visibly brightened but then he saw Rumpelstiltskin and his face darkneed, "What is this?"

"He was wounded," Dagian said, "He was sent home."

The recruiter looked at both of them, "How were you wounded?"

"I was wounded in battle, I can barely walk."

"They wouldn't have sent you home for that," he said with his dark eyes accusing him, "They would've found another use for you."

Dagian pulled out of her husband's grip and stood, "Get out."

"If they find out he's here do you know what they're going to do?" he asked.

"I said get out."

"If they don't kill him then they're going to send him back."

Dagian stormed over to him and pushed at him, "Leave."

The recruiter grabbed her sleeve and pulled her towards him so he could whisper in her ear, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't take him back."

"Because he wasn't even supposed to be there."

"My orders are to bring every male and female able to fight to the battlefields. Do you realize what'll happen to me if I don't? It'll be treason if I let him stay here."

"Then don't tell anyone," she whispered, "Please. He can barely walk…I just got him talking again. What he saw out there was traumatizing. He's not a warrior. He's much better off here, where he can work."

"Other men aren't getting that opportunity."

"You haven't been pursuing toher men's wives either," she snapped, "Perhaps that's why you're really angry."

"Don't be absurd," he whispered.

"Leave him here," she whispered, "You keep claiming you don't want to follow your yown orders then don't. Let him stay. Please. You've already taken so much from our village. We'll be lucky to survive the winter. Please just do this for me."

He looked behind her where Rumpelstiltskin sat with his eyes downcast and then looked back at her, "When other recruiters come then I suggest you find a way to hide him. And don't think that when this war is over or everyone else has served their time that it'll be easier. If he ran then that's something that'll follow both of you for the rest of your lives."

"Then we deal with it," she said, "I owe you a lot for what you've done, but I think it'll be best if you leave now. The other soldiers will start to get suspicious."

"And if I were you, I'd start asking the questions that others will start asking as soon as they start coming home. I doubt you'll want to be caught off guard."

She glared at him, turned on her heel and walked over to her husband, "Are you alright."

"I can't go back there."

"We're going to make sure that doesn't happen."

"But the others-"

"Rumpelstiltksin your leg is still healing. They already took that from you, I don't want you the next thing they take to be your life."

"Everyone else is paying that price."

She bit her lip, "Did you run?"

He averted his gaze, "Who was the man that came in here?"

"You're avoiding my question."

"Is he someone I have to worry about?" Rumpelstiltskin demanded.

She gave him a hurt loo,k "Of course not. Rumpelstiltskin believe me, I've always been loyal to you."

He looked embarrassed that she'd even asked, "Forgive me."

"Now please answer me Rumpelstiltskin because I have to know…did you run?"

He put his head in his hands and the silence stretched for such a long time.

Finally he took his hands away from his face and looked like he was on the verge of tears, "Yes."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Dawn sat on Archie's couch, she couldn't hide the smile on her face, "Things are…I don't know things are just better now."

Archie watched her ,"What changed?"

"A lot of things…that job is working out better than the newspaper is…and my husband and I…ever since he told me he would start trusting me more…I guess I could say that he's a bit more talkative…well at least for him. He still doesn't talk about his past…or how he became how he is but I think..I don't know…it's just different. If I didn't know any better I'd think he smiled a bit more."

"Are you happy?"

"As long as I'm safe then I'm happy."

"And how is this different from when you first got married?"

* * *

><p><strong>15 Years Ago (Or so she believes) <strong>

Dawn pulled the dishes out of the dishwashers and started putting them in their designated places around the small cramped kitchen of the apartment that they shared.

It was seven. It was payday and her father wasn't home yet.

Her hands started shaking so badly that she nearly dropped the plate she was holding.

She still had so much that she had to get done; there was no way that she could get it all accomplished in time to get to bed in an attempt to avoid him.

She placed the dishes up as fast as she possibly could and walked to the living room. Maybe if she went faster than she could slip into bed. Her father never bothered her when he thought she was asleep.

Someone knocked on the door and she jumped. Did her father forget his keys again?

It was still early; he must've been pounding them back.

She swallowed heavily and opened the door. Half of her household duties weren't done yet. She had a feeling that she could expect a more cuts and bruises to match the healing one on her forehead that her father had given her a few days ago.

Instead of her father, she found Mr. Gold at her apartment doorstep.

"Ms. Danvers," he smiled and leaned forward on his cane to look into her apartment , "Pardon the intrusion."

"I thought rent wasn't due till next week Mr. Gold," she looked behind him to see his bodyguard that he brought along when he was collecting rent.

"Yes it is dear."

"Then why are you here? " She closed her eyes, as if she was dreading the answer "Did my father take out another loan? If he did, I-"

"No, this doesn't have anything to do with your father, Ms. Danvers. Actually I'm here to see you."

She felt a pang of ice down her back at the way he smiled at her but she opened the door further to allow him in. If her father came back and he saw that the most powerful man in town was there then he wouldn't be…like he was.

She walked into the room and pulled one of the chairs out for him and sat in the opposite chair, "What do you need from me, Mr. Gold?"

"I have a little…business arrangement that I would like to discuss with you."

"What business could you possibly have with me?" she asked but she almost dreaded his answer. She was assistant manager at a gas station, unless he was looking for a sweet discount then he had only one other reason why he was here.

"Oh my," instead of sitting down he crossed over to her side of the table and he pulled her hair back and examined the gash next to her temple, "That's an unfortunate injury, however did you manage to do that?"

She pulled away and let her hair fall back into place, "If you have to ask that…"

"Actually your father's treatment of you is why I'm here. I think I might have a way for you to leave this life, my dear." He sat down in the chair that she pulled out for him

"With all due respect Mr. Gold I have tried to leave and yet somehow I keep on landing back home."

"Yes well, my solution is a bit more permanent then the offers you receive," he gave that mysterious little smile that she hated, "I'll be frank my dear, I am in need of a wife."

"Well _that _marriage proposal certainly outdoes all the ones I see in the movies," she muttered and took a sip of her water, "Tell me Mr. Gold, why would I trade one prison sentence for another?"

"Because you were made for something better than the life you're living now." He told her, "You are far too pretty to serve as your father's punching bag."

"And so I'd marry the most feared and hated man in town so that I can be his whore with a wedding ring and somehow that's a better life?"

"I'm afraid that you're not quite understanding, Ms. Danvers," he said while keeping calm, not giving any emotion away, "I'll remove you from this life and I give you my word that I won't lay a hand on you. Well, unless you want it of course."

"Because a person's word is good," she muttered angrily.

He leaned forward, his face suddenly more serious. He looked as if he'd been offended, "Mine is."

She opened her mouth to say something but then closed it. He was right; she didn't think she'd ever seen him break his word. He always followed his commitments. Mostly because the commitments served him but that was apparently beside the point.

"Marry me and you won't want for anything ever again. You'll be secure and safe and you can finally look down on all the people that shut you out or refused to help you. Now don't tell me there's a small part of you that doesn't want that."

She knew that Mr. Gold had probably slipped off the edge of sanity a long time ago but this was a new low for him

"My father is a monster Mr. Gold, don't get me wrong," she gave him a wry smile, "But I have to agree with him when he says that when something is too good to be true then it probably is. What are you getting out of all of this?"

"A companion, my dear. It's quite lonely when you're in my position. I'm a very difficult man to love. All I'm asking in return is for your loyalty."

"And of all the women that you could come to then why did you come to me?"

"Because I know what it's like to live the lowest of the low. We're both broken, Ms. Danvers. I think just from that and your rather cynical nature about everyone around you that we'll get along just fine."

"And so you want to be my knight in shining armor?" she raised her eyebrow, "Not exactly the role I think you'd take up."

"I trust you'll want to sleep on it."

"Yes," she said in relief.

"Too bad," he folded his hands on the table, "You're getting one opportunity to turn your life around."

"One?"

"Giving you time to think about it might allow you to talk yourself out of it."

She smiled wryly, "You drive a hard bargain Mr. Gold."

"Given my business I regret to tell you that I have to drive a hard bargain Ms. Danvers," he checked his pocket watch, "Do we have a deal?"

She raised an eyebrow, "There's not much in this town that a trophy wife can do to entertain herself. Can I still work?"

"I'd rather you didn't work in a place where you could get shot but if it'll entertain you then yes I don't mind you working."

"And what about kids?" she blushed, "If we…should it ever come to that…"

His smile widened, "I would like nothing more than to have a family…should it ever come to that."

She felt the heat go down her neck. He was older, probably more experienced by far, and he was looking at her questions with amusement.

She considered her choices. He seemed genuine in his want to get her out of this life but she also suspected he was a good actor. Everyone always seemed to underestimate him so he was doing something right.

Dawn knew that she was jumping out of the frying pan into the fire with his proposal. But whatever he was offering had to be better than this.

"And you won't touch me?"

"Not until you ask for it, dear."

Heat flooded her face again and she averted her gaze, "How soon can we leave?"

"Pack what your mementos and things you'll want to take with you. You won't need many clothes; I can provide that for you. But you might want to hurry darling because I don't think you'll want to have to explain to your father just yet where you're going."

* * *

><p>Half an hour later she was walking down the staircase of the apartment building with her…fiancé? Husband to be? What exactly were they?<p>

She was insane, she was stupid, and she was going to regret this but there was a part of her that didn't care. She needed to get out of this dead end life that she was facing. If she didn't leave now then she feared that she'd loser her only opportunity and her father could end up killing her.

He opened the passenger door, "Don't expect me to carry you over the threshold darling."

"That's okay," she said in a bit of a stunned whisper at what she was actually doing, "I think those are only reserved for real marriages."

Mr. Gold didn't say anything at her comment.

His bodyguard approached them and Mr. Gold turned to him, "Stay here and make sure he knows he can't touch his daughter again."

She could hear the threat in his words and a chill swept over her when she realized what they were possibly going to do to her father.

Then the feeling….went away. She was going to be safe now and she just…didn't care about what they were going to do to her father because nothing could ever compare to what he'd spent years doing to her.

She swallowed when he closed her door and opened the driver's, "Well my dear, are you ready?"

Dawn managed a slight nod and drew in a breath when he started the car and pulled out onto the street.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>


	22. Chapter 22

**Once Upon A Time**

By technical definition, Dagian knew that she'd married a coward.

As he poured his heart out to her last night, Dagian knew that her husband had had no other choice if he'd wanted to survive. She knew that if he'd honored the agreement that they'd forced him to honor then he would've been dead and she'd have been a widow.

He had no choice and she knew that if he went back into the war then they'd just send him out to the battlefield again and he'd definitely be killed.

She didn't know if he'd done the…'right' thing by running, but she knew that he'd done the intelligent thing. Perhaps it was selfish that she was happy he'd run away from a battle that had taken so man y lives when others were bound to stay in the war and die.

Part of her didn't care anymore.

She wished her father was here. He was a military man; he believed in honor and duty. However he was also a fair man and even he would've agreed that the situation Rumpelstiltskin was put in was an impossible one that he should not have been made.

The king's law said that no father-to-be or father of a young enough child was to be placed in battle. They would stay in the town and guard it and maintain it so that the fields would be tended to and the women would be protected.

So they weren't violating any law by him being home where he was supposed to be in the first place right?

But that small voice in the back of her mind still talked to her. There were hundreds of fathers of small children that were pulled into this war. What made him better than them?

He had every right to be home, he had every right to run….but she still felt some sort of clawing shame and humiliation that her husband was now a 'coward'.

Did she believe that personally or was she worried on how the others would perceive him?

The night passed as he told her everything he'd seen and everything that had happened while they were away for months and she couldn't help but feel anger.

Dagian knew full well that she couldn't feel anger towards him but a part of her did. It was wrong and it was stupid and she tried to spend the better part of the night trying to chastise herself enough to get it out of her mind but it just wouldn't go away.

_Him not belonging there and running away being the smart thing to do aside Dagian, he's still a coward._

"Please Dagian," he whispered and pulled her forehead to his, "You're all I have now. You're all I have left. Please don't…please don't hate me. If you looked at me like I look at myself now then I couldn't…I couldn't do that."

She bit her lip and a tear slipped past her eye.

_He's a coward. _

She looked in his deep brown eyes and rested her hands on either side of his face; so desperate for her approval and scared for her rejection.

_He was a survivor, he came back to me. _

In the end, did it really matter how?

"I don't hate you," she whispered.

Relief swept across his face and he almost looked like a child, "Do you promise?"

She forced a small smile and nodded, "Yes."

"You'll stand by me?"

_This would pass. And if it didn't then there would be other villages they could live at. Ones that weren't' so close to the battle fronts. _

She nodded again, "I'll stand by you."

He blinked as if stunned and then his face crumbled in relief and he kissed her face and lips, "Thank you…I promise things are going to be better now."

"I need to…I need to process all of this though," she whispered to him, "I'm going to go get some flowers for the house."

"Alright," he nodded but it took him a few seconds to let go of her hands.

"I'll be home in a little while," she promised him, "And then we'll talk about what we're going to do."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Gold leaned against the door frame and watched his wife as she lay stretched out on the bed and she flipped through one of the photo albums that contained the staged pictures of both of them in the years they'd been there.

Everything about it was a lie. They'd never posed for those pictures; he'd never saved her from an abusive father. It was all false memories implanted in both their minds so that they would never question anything about their former lives.

Except he remembered everything and if he didn't play his cards carefully then either he or his wife could get hurt.

Regina was starting to suspect that he was aware of what they'd done in the Realms. He had to play his cards right because that evil sow wasn't above targeting someone else to hurt him.

He wasn't in love with Dagian…or Dawn as she was known in this world. But he had grown rather attached to her in the hundreds of years that they'd both been alive and he was quite protective of her when she was targeted by someone else.

If Regina was aware that he was awake then she also better be aware that he didn't like other people touching what belonged to him. And as brutal and blunt as it sounded, Dagian belonged to him. She was all that he had left and he wasn't about to let that heart crushing spoiled brat take the last thing that he had away from him.

Dawn turned and jumped as soon as she saw him, "You scared me."

He smiled and walked into the room, "What are you doing?"

"Oh in therapy today Archie just asked me some questions and made me think of some memories."

"Good ones this time I hope," he sat at the end of the bed and stretched his leg out. Oh, they weren't kidding about the bad storms about to hit Maine, "I'm tired of you moping around the house because of your childhood."

_Childhood that never happened._

She closed the album and scooted over next to him, "They were when we first got married."

"Oh my dear, perhaps one day you'll actually have decent memories to return to."

She scoffed and nudged him with her shoulder, "Don't be like that, you give yourself far too little credit. You've always been good to me."

He frowned and averted his gaze.

Not always.

He knew what she remembered. He remembered it as well as she did.

* * *

><p><strong>In the False Past of Storybrooke <strong>

They were married in the small chapel on the outskirts of town. It was a quick ceremony; Dawn figured dryly that perhaps Mr. Gold was afraid of lighting coming down if he stayed in a church for too long.

When he gave her the quick peck on the lips, Dawn knew that she'd run out of time to try and talk herself out of this. She was Mrs. Gold now, and whatever feelings she had about that were numb to the relief that she was finally out of the house.

At least until he got tired of her.

He pulled up in front of the house, opened his door, and then circled around to open hers.

Moment of truth.

She grabbed her suitcase and with his assistance got out of the car.

"May I carry your bag?" he asked.

"I have it," she said. He walked with a cane. There was just something that she didn't like about the idea of making him carry her stuff when he was already crippled.

She wondered if he'd tell her beforehand how he got that limp before he got bored of her.

He offered her his arm and she took it. Her heart started racing. Was he going to keep his promise and not touch her? Or was he going to prove that he was just like everyone else and disappoint and hurt her?

"Would you like a tour of the house?" he asked as he unlocked the door.

"No," she told him truthfully, "I would just like to go to bed."

"Yes, I imagine working all day and then living in fear at your father getting drunk will exhaust a person," he opened the door and allowed her to go in first, "I'll show you to our room."

She tensed at our room. He told her he wasn't going to touch her until she was ready but she hadn't thought about the fact that they'd be sharing a bed until then.

"Is something wrong dear?" he asked.

She kept her face from betraying her emotions, "No."

There wasn't anything wrong with them sharing a room. If she requested a separate one then it might create a wall between them that she couldn't afford in the early stages of this. If he was truly her ally then she needed to keep him on her side.

The house was cluttered and full of antiques. She couldn't say that she would be surprised. Everyone always tried to sell him things to make ends meet. It figures he'd have things here if he didn't have room in his shop.

Most of the house was dark so she didn't get a good look at things when he led her to the room

The bedroom itself was pretty bare. When he turned on the light she could see that there was a large bed that dominated one side of the room, two closets were to her right and a large bathroom to her left.

"You can change in here." He told her, "Would you like something to eat?"

Her stomach was so twisted in knots that she doubted she could eat anything.

"No."

"I'll be downstairs if you need anything," he started toward the door, "I'll see you in a couple of hours my dear. Sleep well."

The door shut and the room was plunged into a tense silence.

She wheeled her case toward the bed and sat on the black comforter and drew in a few breaths.

She would be safe tonight.

But how long would that safety last?

Going to bed early did nothing to help her sleep.

This wasn't her home, this wasn't her bed…and it was far too comfortable for her tastes. She felt like she was sinking in.

And besides, her new husband's intentions when he got up to the room with her were another thing keeping her awake. She could only stare at the passing minutes on the clock and wait for him to make his entrance.

When the clock struck ten, the door that led to the hallway opened and she tensed. She kept her back to him so that he would think she was asleep but keeping her breathing regulated was a lot harder to do.

She heard the closet open and the rustle of clothes that meant he was changing.

Her heart began racing again when the bed dipped under her weight and she felt him move towards her.

"Goodnight dear," he kissed her cheek and then scooted over back to his side of the bed.

She laid there for a few minutes until her heart started its normal pace and she let out the breath she realized she'd been holding.

It was midnight before she finally settled into a fitful sleep

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

"Honey?"

Gold was pulled out of his thought and he smiled at his wife. Of course he was thinking about it through her eyes since he'd given the memories to her specifically.

She smiled back and ran a hand through is hair, "You've been so pensive lately."

He grabbed her hand and kissed her wrist. She didn't know what was going on but unlike so many others in this town there was no innocence in her eyes. That had disappeared years ago just like it had with him.

"Does me being preoccupied bother you, dear?"

"A lot of things about you bother me," she joked, but then turned grim, "You didn't really start acting this way until Ms. Swan got here."

He looked at her seriously, "Is there something you're insinuating?"

"I just want to make sure that she's not…going to be a threat."

"Oh are…," he turned to her and smirked in amusement, "Are you jealous?"

She scoffed, "No."

"I do believe you're blushing," he leaned back, "I haven't seen you blush in a long time."

"I just want to make sure there's nothing there."

"I give you my word that my interest in Ms. Swan is strictly platonic."

"That doesn't stop people these days," she muttered, "Where do you think most of these repetitive romantic comedies come from."

"I assure you that you're the only woman that could ever understand me and I could ever put up with," he kissed her.

The only one still alive at any rate.

His hand tightened against the cane and he looked down. Belle was dead. She'd been dead for several years. He had this marriage that he needed to focus on because he knew that the minute she got her memories then he'd lose her. He was going to enjoy it while it lasted.

* * *

><p><strong>Once Upon A Time<strong>

Fall was here and then winter would be right behind it.

The flowers in the field were starting to die.

Dagian rested her hand on her stomach and prayed to whatever gods existed that that wasn't symbolic of the relationship that she and Rumpelstiltskin had.

The skies were on fire in the north and she wrapped her arms around her torso as she thought about how many husbands were being slaughtered right now while her husband was at home.

She couldn't think about it like that. He was home. Just like she wanted him to be.

"Where is he, Dagian?"

She turned at the sound of the voice and stepped back when she saw it was Dauis.

"Dauis," she breathed and looked at his armor. Utterly sickening that one of the strongest warriors in the village was…this, "And as a recruiter…"

"I'm looking for your husband, where is he?"

She didn't blink, "I assumed he was killed in battle."

"Don't lie to me," he stepped towards her, "Your little puppy may fall for your lies and large doe eyes but I think I know you a bit better."

"He's not here."

"Is he hiding in your home?"

She kept her gaze steady. He must've seen them coming and slipped into the forest.

"Well if he was, I imagine you wouldn't be here asking me."

"Dagian I know it's hard for your loved one to be in battle."

"Yes, and how many families did you rip apart to find out that fact?"

"But he has an obligation that he has to fulfill. More soldiers turn the tide."

She wanted to retort that that was a lie but she kept her mouth shut in fear that she might reveal she knew where he was, "Why do you think he's here?"

"Because several people have told me that he is. Do you know what happened that day? As soon as the battle went against our favor he turned tail and he ran. You married a coward."

He was baiting her, "I imagine it takes one to know one sir."

His face darkened, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know how hard it was for you to talk the Duke into letting you become a recruiter instead of a warrior but don't think for a second that ripping fathers and husband's from the arms of their families isn't a special brand of cowardice in itself."

She went too far and she knew it as soon as he grabbed her arm and yanked her towards him, "It's treason to hide someone that's in as much trouble as her husband."

Pain laced through her back and stomach but she kept her gaze steady, "Do you mind letting me go? I really don't want to explain to anyone why I have bruises the size of fingers on my arm."

"The only reason you were spared is because of that baby you're carrying but don't think for a second that we won't be coming for you as soon as that child can survive without you."

The pain worsened and her feet went out from under her and she sank to the ground with a cry.

Dauis must've realized that he'd gone too far because he backed up with wide eyes and then climbed on his horse without a word.

She glared at him as he rode off and struggled to stand.

Dagian had gone into false labor before. But this was different.

She still had a month left…it was too early.

If she didn't get to the village quickly then she was going to give birth to her baby right in the middle of the fields.


	23. Chapter 23

**Once Upon A Time**

Rumpelstiltskin supported the child's head and gazed at his son's tiny sleeping face in fascination.

He was so small, but the midwives said that even though he was born early he seemed healthy. He might have a few problems but hopefully he would be fine.

As long as he was healthy then Rumpelstiltskin didn't care. He had a son! A beautiful baby boy that had survived all the stress that his mother had been forced through these past several months.

He was going to be a better man. He was going to be the kind of father that his son and any other children that followed would be proud of. He wasn't quite sure how he was going to do that since he was now labeled a coward but he'd…he'd think of something. A man's honor just wasn't based how he performed on a battlefield; it was based on several other things like how good of a man he was and how good of a husband and father he was as well.

But unfortunately in times of war none of that mattered.

He smiled brightly, the happiest he'd been in months and sat next to his wife, "Hi Bae. Look, it's your mother."

She took his son and he reluctantly let him go, "Support his head."

"I know," she said and he could hear the exhaustion in his voice. It was well into the early hours of the morning before the midwives finally let him back into his own cabin to see her and his son.

Rumpelstiltskin would've given anything to see his wife smile again since he'd been back. Well that was a lie, she smiled but he could see the sadness behind her eyes whenever she'd tried to make him happy or comfortable.

He hadn't told her that as long as she was with him then he was happy. He was hoping she'd know that already.

But the sadness in her eyes was gone and for the first time since she'd told him she was pregnant she was glowing.

He pushed some of her tangled hair over her shoulder and kissed her passionately, "I love you."

She smiled and returned the kiss as soon as he pulled away, "I love you too."

Baelfire's eyes fluttered open and watched both his parents with curiosity.

Dagian saw her husband smile with a father's pride and he brushed a knuckle against his son's cheek in affection and then kissed his boy.

"My hopes came true darling," Dagian smiled, and pulled his face closer to hers, "He does have your eyes."

* * *

><p><strong>Once Upon a Time in Storybrooke <strong>

Dawn didn't know how the town found out about her marriage since last night, but she had a feeling that the town was avoiding her more out of fear this time than guilt.

While they didn't talk to her, she had a feeling that all of them had prying eyes on her back as she walked into her husband's shop the afternoon after they were married. Let them look; the most feared man and the most terrifying man in the town had saved her life. None of them had.

"Dawn," he greeted as soon as he saw her. He finished dusting off the counter and gave her a smile that almost seemed affectionate, "How are you?"

"Well after waking up in the room of the man I married that I barely know in order to get away from a father that I know all too well, I imagine I'm handling it better than most."

"Indeed," he smiled wider but she could see the emptiness behind it. She knew the look very well, she'd mastered it, "I apologize that you woke up alone but after the events of last night and you're tossing and turning I figured it best to let you sleep in."

"Thank you," she held up the bag, "I brought you lunch. I figured it was a very…married thing to do."

He looked amused by the gesture, "Well thank you, dear."

"And we're on our way to true love," she muttered, dropped the bag, and started to turn.

"Would you like to join me?"

She shrugged, "I only made one sandwich."

"It's not hard to half a sandwich darling."

She tried to search for any excuse that she could but realized she had none, "Alright."

He seemed pleased that she'd agreed, "And we're on our way to true love."

She couldn't help but smile at the bitter cynicism in his voice. Looked like he believed in true love just as much as she did, "I think we're going to get along after all, Mr. Gold."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Dawn watched the pouring rain from the bed and turned next to her husband who was lying beside her, "Interesting way to pass the time while we wait out the storm."

He gave that little smirk and she still didn't know if she thought it was secretive and chilling or sexy.

She had issues.

He kissed her shoulder and rolled over on his stomach, "The town council wants to buy some land from us."

She pulled the covers over her bare shoulders and shivered as the storm picked up outside, "What for?"

"Regina wants to use it to build a new playground."

"Because anything they have these days is FAR sturdier than that wooden one by the water," she muttered sarcastically, "That's been there how long now?"

He propped the pillows up and leaned against them, "it's where the boy and his real mother meet. Our beloved mayor is just looking for a reason to tear that down."

"How petty," she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest, "I'm going to have to step it up darling I don't think I like her being more petty than I am."

"Yes but you're supposed to do it with dignity."

She shrugged, "I don't have to do it with dignity my dear, everyone's too terrified of us to notice otherwise."

"You have too much fun being my wife sometimes, do you know that?"

She looked at the length of the bed that they'd spent the afternoon in the temperature dropped and it rained outside.

"Well," she stretched and slung one of her legs over his waist, "It certainly has its perks darling."


	24. Chapter 24

**Once Upon A Time**

The night winter winds brought chills down Dagian's back and arms despite the fact that she was wearing two layers of clothes and a cloak that was wrapped around herself and her four month old son.

It was a harsh biting winter and while a few of the men had finally returned, they were too traumatized and barely able to work. It was up to the wives and daughters to harvest most of the food and Dagian prayed they made a good deal at the market come spring. However that was unlikely if the other villages had suffered as much as they had.

Baelfire cried in her arms and shoved a handful of her hair in his mouth. He was a good baby but he weak from being born early. Dagian had feared several times that he wouldn't' survive the winter. The very idea of her son dying angered and upset her. He'd survived her stress and worry and it would be insulting that their son would die because a man who lived in the cowardice of recruitment put his hands on her.

She still hadn't told her husband about her encounter with Daius. Why would she? There was nothing he could do and aggravating Daius any further might get both of them recruited before their son reached half a year.

Besides, if she told him what happened then he would probably blame himself because Daius came looking for him. And he was already feeling guilty and humiliated for running.

There was still a tension between her and her husband that neither one could ease no matter how hard they tried. She thought that once her body had healed and they made love again and started reestablishing the connection they had... then things would be easier.

It hadn't.

Maybe it was her fault. Her emotions were settling back to normal and the baby was keeping her awake at night. Maybe when Bae actually slept throughout the night and she got more rest then things would be better as well.

Because it wasn't her husband's fault, Rumpelstiltskin did his best to make her happy and no matter what she did she couldn't quell the small voice in her mind screaming that she'd married a coward instead of a soldier.

No, that didn't matter. He was home. The war was pointless and as much as she wished she could shove those thoughts out of her mind she realized that it was easier said than done.

Bae finally yawned and rested his head on her shoulder.

Sometimes the house got far too heated sometimes during the winter. Her husband was a heavy sleeper but she and Bae weren't and sometimes one or both would wake up sweating.

"You ready to go inside?" she asked her son and kissed him affectionately, "I think we're ready to go inside."

A horse whinnied down the road and she froze. Horses were hard to come by in this part of the Realm but the horses that they did have were taken for the war.

Recruiters didn't come during this time of night either. The only people that would be coming through here would be pillagers.

She shifted her son in her other arm and reached for a large wooden branch that could serve as a club. Looters were always something her father feared after war. Her father had called them insane men who would rob, murder, and rape in an attempt to take advantage of the chaos that war caused.

But a light from a torch nearby caught the reflection of the man's face and she recognized him as Petyan. One of the shepherd's in a neighboring village.

He pulled the horse to a stop and slumped off the horse, Dagian grabbed him to keep him from stumbling completely to the ground.

"Dagian," he wrapped his arms around her neck and kissed her cheek; "Dagian we did it."

"We won?" she asked.

"No," he whispered, "We survived. Dagian, they released us. We're coming home."

* * *

><p><strong>Once Upon A Time in Storybrooke<strong>

It was well past dark when Dawn heard the front door opening. She was getting ready for bed when her husband came in.

He looked at the clock and then looked at her, "Were you waiting on me?"

"Yeah the house is just…," she shrugged, "Too big. It's too quiet and I guess I'm not used to it yet."

"Well," he walked behind her and kissed the top of her head, "it has been less than a day, my dear. Your unease in a house when you've lived in an apartment all your life is understandable."

She walked to the window and looked out, "I did notice your bodyguard following me though."

He took off his jacket "Yes, I wanted to make sure you would be safe."

She smiled and shook her head, "If I didn't know any better I'd think you cared."

"I don't," he replied and started undressing. She blushed and turned to give him some privacy, "However I am invested in our future together and I wouldn't want anything to happen to my new wife the day after we're married."

"You really don't care?" she frowned.

"Your father cared and look what happened,"

She turned to glare at him and he shrugged and pulled on a long sleeve shirt over his t-shirt, "Emotional entanglements leads one down very dark paths. And I think you of all people would agree with me. Especially knowing what your father did to you and your mother even though he claimed to love you. All I'm saying my dear is that I don't mind treating you with affection and one day I'll even come to care about you. But don't mistake that I'll ever love you, it's just not in my nature anymore."

Dawn felt her chest tighten up involuntarily and she didn't understand why. She'd only married him because she wanted out of a bad situation, she didn't really expect to love him back either. She hadn't even expected him to keep her around that long but he kept saying that he was invested in their future which meant that he was making plans. Which meant that he was planning on keeping her around for at least awhile before he tossed her back as soon as he got bored with her.

And speaking of which, she might as well get this out in the open because she didn't want to spend however long she had here living in fear,

He pulled back the comforter and crawled into bed and she followed suit, "And how long are you thinking of keeping me here?"

He looked at her, "What?"

"How long until you get bored with me?"

He looked hurt, "You're not a pet or a toy darling. You're my wife and I'm going to hold you with more respect than that. I know that I'm hardly a gentleman but come on, you think I'm that low?"

"I've been disappointed before."

"Oh my dear," he shook his head, "We need to get you in some therapy or something to handle your trust issues because I'm not the kind of man that'll throw you back to the wolves as soon as I get what I want. Well, that's not entirely true…usually I am...but you're a different case darling. You're my wife."

She propped herself up on her elbow, she could be creeped out by this but she couldn't help but find this all fascinating, "So…you're not going to love me but you're not going to abandon me either."

"All I ask is for your loyalty."

She tried to process all of this. She didn't really expect any different from him off all people. Now that she admitted it, it was enough of a shocker that he admitted he would eventually care.

"Do you promise me that you won't abandon me?" she asked. He never went back on his word.

He nodded and brushed some hair out of her eyes, "I give you my word."

She didn't pull away at his touch, so he rested his hand on the side of her face and traced her cheekbone with his thumb

He smiled the first warm…ish looking smile he'd had since they married.

She couldn't deny that despite the fear and hate he caused around him the joy he derived from it that he was a very…attractive man in his own unique way. A bit rough around the edges and she had a feeling that those deep brown eyes of his hid things that she'd never understand. But while he wasn't drop dead gorgeous like the sheriff, he had his own attraction that she could help but admit she was drawn to.

"Well darling, we both have our own lives we need to get to tomorrow."

"What life?" she muttered and turned over.

"The life that you're going to have now that you're the new Mrs. Gold. I imagine our friendly journalist Mr. Glass will probably want a full interview."

"Screw him," she muttered, "If he tries then I'm telling him that you and I haven't slept in two nights and we had to pay a hefty fine because of all the noise we were making."

"Oh," he scooted behind her and she could practically hear the smirk in his voice, "Would you like to put that to the test?"

"Not yet darling," she buried her face in her pillow, "I don't think I like you that much yet."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Dawn examined herself in the vanity and brushed some stray hairs off the shoulder of her suit jacket and smiled as her husband came into the room.

"Hey honey," she smiled when she saw her husband, "How was your morning?"

"Close your eyes."

"Hm?" she asked.

"Close your eyes. I have something for you."

"Oh?" she closed her eyes and smiled as he pushed her hair back and over her shoulder and pressed his lips against her throat, "Oh honey if you're just trying to seduce me it's going to have to wait till tonight because I just got dressed."

"Shh," she felt something small and cold against her throat and she opened her eyes.

A diamond necklace rested against her throat.

She touched it and looked at him, "What's the occasion?"

He kissed her cheek and rested his head next to hers so he could examine the necklace around her throat, "Just enjoying spoiling my beautiful wife."

"You've never bought me anything like this."

"You never ask for anything like this," he rubbed her shoulders, "It's just something from the payment of the land the town council bought which they're going to announce about today."

She sighed, knowing where he was going with this, "I was hoping to bribe work into giving me more hours today."

"Dear, the point of working is to make them pay you, not to pay them."

"I know what this is," she smiled and saw him smile as well, "You're hoping this will convince me to come to the council meeting with you without complaint."

"Not entirely."

"Yes you are," she teased, "This is exactly something you would do."

"Oh darling, this isn't a bribe." He kissed her cheek, "Because there's going to be a show today."

"Oh, a show?" she turned in her seat in mock intrigue, "Whose going to look like an idiot?"

"Grab a coat and you can come see."

"Oh, that's cold," she stood and followed him

* * *

><p>As Dawn watched Emma talk about the plans for a supposed summer house in the woods, Dawn couldn't believe how easily she'd been duped.<p>

Why would Emma believe someone that was so obviously working for Regina? The man was as transparent as well…glass.

Maybe it was because she knew Glass for far longer than Emma did. OR maybe it was because she was married to a man that liked to tell her about some of the inner workings of the town whenever he got bored and wanted to entertain her as well.

Regina smirked while Emma rambled on and she knew that the sheriff was about to be made a full out of.

Dawn looked down at her husband as he put his hand on her leg and tried not to smirk in a way that would give away some of his knowledge.

"I know this may seem like a dumb question," Dawn said as she leaned into his ear, "But why didn't you just clue her in?"

"She wouldn't believe me," he whispered back, "The best way to handle Emma is to let her realize that she can't do this without me."

"You know, sometimes your want for Emma to remove the mayor from her position is quite extreme. Will you ever tell me why you hate her so much?"

"Let's just say that it's very long and complicated."

She sighed, "Well that's more than what I normally get."

Regina held up a remote and clicked on the button, allowing the projector to show a representation of a playground that she'd had created.

"Oh my," Dawn muttered as she shook her head, "That's supposed to be better than the one by the water? IT's so….shoddy!"

Gold looked over toward Emma as the woman looked like she'd rather dig a hole in the ground and curl up there.

"I almost feel sorry for her," Dawn said.

"Yes," Mr. Gold said and his fingers curled around his cane, "So do I."

* * *

><p><strong>Once Upon A Time<strong>

Dagian wrapped her cloak around her body to shield her from the wind as she walked to the well that was on the outside of the village. She would normally go to the one in the center of the village but it was currently being swarmed by the other women who were trying to get water for their loved ones who had survived their time in the battle and the journey back.

This was much quieter, and she could avoid all their stares.

Rumpelstiltskin and what he did was accepted because some of the women felt safer with a man there regardless of his injury. But now that some of their men were back she was scared that they'd turn on him.

Things were about to get a lot worse she feared.

She pulled the bucket of water up from the well and emptied it into the pitcher that she carried with her.

They had three men from neighboring villages in their house. They were severely dehydrated and were in need of a good bath. That latter part would have to wait until the morning but she still knew that she wouldn't be getting any sleep that night.

"Hello Dagian,"

A man in a dark cloak appeared right behind her and she stumbled backwards and dropped the pitcher.

Her hand went to her dagger that she carried with her but before she unsheathed it, he waved his hand and the blade went flying out of her hand.

"No need for that, it wouldn't work on me anyway."

"Who are you?" she demanded and backed up until her back was pressed against the column of the well, "How do you know my name?"

"I know quite a lot about you, but name is unimportant at the moment. But in the years to come you and the others shall know me as the dark one."


	25. Chapter 25

**Once Upon A Time**

Dagian tried to keep a brave face as she stared into the blackened hook of the dark one. She couldn't see his face and if being alone with this man wasn't bad enough then that made it all unsettling.

"What do you want?" she asked again. He was cloaked and hunched over, but she really doubted she could outrun him. He'd just waved her knife out of her hand; the last thing she was going to do was to anger him with any sudden movements. She dind't care how old he seemed to be.

"I've heard a lot about you," he said and she cringed. It was impossible to know how to react when she didn't even know how he was looking at her but his words and the way he said them really made her wish that she wasn't alone right now, "The daughter of a retired powerful general now wife to the man who ran. Interesting fall from grace."

She didn't say anything; she just frantically looked for an escape.

"It's a shame that you're going to bear that title for the rest of your extremely long life if you stay here with him."

She remained silent, she usually regretted what she said when she opened her mouth.

"As will your son."

Dagian tensed at that and she felt her chest tighten. He could do whatever he wanted with her but he was not going to touch her son, "What do you want?"

"You know what happens to the town coward when the town heroes return," he said, "What do you think happens to the coward's wife?"

She tensed. Sometimes the fallout fell harder on the loved ones of the coward than the coward themselves. She'd seen it happen before in one of the villages that she'd grown up in. A man that had run from battle had returned home in shame and his wife had received a lot of spite and abuse from the others because somehow she was supposed to sense that he was a coward when she married him before the war came.

The abuse was so bad that she hung herself in the house

Dagian thought of that woman daily and kept making promises to herself that she wouldn't go that far.

"It was a pointless war," she said, "He wasn't even supposed to be there."

"A lot of people weren't supposed to be there," he said, "What makes him so special?"

"You tell me," she said, "He must be important because you're here. Well, we must be quite popular."

"I'm just here to see the family that has every village in this realm talking."

He was lying, there were numerous villages in the Realm just like them and she doubted that everyone could know about one man that ran when she imagined there were hundreds that had.

"I'm not lying," he said as if he read her mind, "That's what happens when you anger more than one recruiter and they're desperate for someone to be made an example out of."

"What are you talking about?"

"They're telling every village that the reason your husband has a bad leg is because they made sure he would never run again."

"That's not true," she shook her head and tried to keep from losing her dinner, "He was hit with a club and he just barely escaped-"

"You trust the word of a coward. Perhaps that's what you're looking for in a husband. You share his bed; you're going to bear his children…rebellion agains what your father believed a man should be…"

"He did what he thought was best."

"And do you love him for it?"

She couldn't keep her mind from racing.

_Or perhaps you despise him, and that feeling you're fighting deep inside is hate. You just don't want to acknowledge that the only reason you're staying with him is because of pity. Not love._

She tried to drive the thoughts out of her mind but when the seeds of doubt took root hten they grew like a weed.

_ He's going to be the town coward now Dagian, you know what that means, you know that he's going to be ignored and abused by everyone here and if you just leave with him then the other villages will probably kill him. The only reason they won't kill him here is because they know him and they know you. If you go somewhere else with him then don't expect the same warm reception that you'll get here._

"Well it seems like I'm doomed no matter what I do," she whispered.

"There is a way out of this."

"Oh yeah?" She scoffed, "What's what?"

"I think you know."

Her eyes widened and she shook her head frantically. She couldn't do what he was suggesting…she couldn't leave her husband, she loved him. They could ride this out; they could survive it, "Why do you even care what we do?"

"Because let's just say that I'm very invested in whatever decision that you make."

She closed her eyes tightly, hoping that she would just…wake up and find herself asleep in her husband's arms.

"Why should my decision affect anything?" she asked and opened her eyes.

He was gone.

She put a shaking hand over her mouth and walked back to the village. Her heard raced in her chest and when she approached the house she saw her husband waiting outside for her.

"Dagian, I was starting to get worried about you" he said in relief and embraced her. She tensed at the gesture and tried to distance herself from feeling his lips on her face.

"Rumpelstil-" she tried to say his name and the words caught in her throat, she wanted to tell him what she saw but she couldn't. How could she explain something that she couldn't even explain herself?

He pulled her away, "Darling why are you shaking?"

She wiped tears from her face, "I d-dropped the pitcher."

He looked at her in confusion, "It's just a pitcher Dagian, we can make another one."

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Well, it's hardly anything to get upset about," he said and kissed her, "Oh darling you look ehausted, why don't you come back to bed? Our guests have settled down to try and get some sleep so I imagine you'll be able to rest now as well."

His hand slipped into hers and she turned her head and focused on the ground in shame at the fact that she was actually thinking about what that…thing…had told her.

What she saw was a delusion because she was so tired. It was just her mind playing tricks on her. She hadn't seen anything.

Her husband helped her remove her cloak and she slipped back in the bed. Her hopes that it was all part of her mind made her feel even worse. Would she really feel that? Deep down in her mind was she really capable of that?

She kept her back to her husband as he slipped behind her on the bed and wrapped his arms around her. She gripped his hands tightly and stared at the dark stone wall that was slightly illuminated by the fire.

He kissed her cheek, "I love you darling."

She didn't deserve him.

She felt tears fall past her face and she drew in a breath, "I love you too."

It was another night that she barely slept.

* * *

><p><strong>Once Upon A Time In Storybrooke <strong>

Dawn opened her eyes the next morning and lifted her head when she heard someone come into the room.

"Ah," her husband said and held up a tray, "You see, I was hoping that you'd wake up because otherwise I'd have to leave it here and I didn't want you to knock it over when you rolled on your side because darling I haven't slept next to someone in years and you have a bad habit of moving around a lot."

"Well maybe I'm not used to someone continuously cuddling up behind me when they promised that they wouldn't lay a hand on me without my permission."

"I need something to hug at night," he said with a smirk, "I imagined that the teddy bear I used to sleep next to at night would've worried you."

She nearly spit out the orange juice that she was drinking and set it back down, "Don't make jokes while I'm drinking."

"Most people don't laugh."

"They don't laugh because they're scared to death of you; they're worried if they laugh and it's not supposed to be funny then you'll raise their rent. I figure that now I might have a one up on everyone

He smiled and sat at her bedside, "If physical contact bothers you then I'll keep my embraces to myself."

"No," she shook her head, "It's comforting, actually….I'm just not used to it."

He smiled and a hand through her hair affectionately, "I have to go to work soon."

"Aw," she pouted, "and I thought we were going to have a day together. You know, go out for a jog, embrace each other and roll down hills, hold hands and skip through fields. You know just like real couples do."

He gave a little half smile, "I can't buy you nice things if I don't go to work."

"Well when are you going to take a day off? I'm just curious because I'd like to have a day where we do get to know each other."

"You mean like a honeymoon?" he raised his eyebrows, "We can't leave town dear, I have rent coming up next week and there is work."

"No, I don't care about a long honeymoon…I was just thinking that maybe we could…go off somewhere nearby…spend the weekend together-"

"You know you seem to have had a big turnaround since yesterday."

She shrugged, "Maybe I've had time to think about the advantages-"

"And because I'm not going to kick you out when I get bored is that it?"

"That might have something to do with it, yes," she smiled and pushed her hair back over her shoulders, the thick voluminous curls were always such a mess when she first woke up.

"Very well," he said and folded his hands in his lap, "I'll take you somewhere this weekend. Will that be sufficient? It'll be quiet…just the both of us."

"You're taking me to the cabin in the woods aren't you?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"There's nowhere else that we can go that would ensure us being alone," she shrugged, "These townsfolk are everywhere."

"Well that's a good point."

"Don't know what I'm going to do with my time though…."

"Well you must be running out of clothes. I'll leave you some money you can get some shopping done."

She blinked, "Are you serious?"

"Well, you're my wife now Dawn, I believe one of the benefits is a shared bank account."

"I can buy anything I want?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"That was the indication, yes."

She smirked, "You better be glad I'm me darling, because a lesser woman would be taking advantage of that."

"Now why would I have married you if I knew that you were going to drown my bank account?"

She shrugged, "I thought it was because you liked redheads."

"Well there was that/"

She picked up her fork and gasped in faux glee, "You made me waffles?"

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

The morning was unusually warm for February, but it was still chilly enough to wear a coat. Dawn pulled a black leather jacket over her clothes and pulled her hair back so that its mess of red curls wouldn't blow in her face.

It was going to be a long day.

"Good morning darling," She smiled at the sound of her husband's voice and turned her head so that he could kiss her, "You look lovely this morning."

"I have a few errands I have to run before going to work later today."

He frowned, "I thought you had an agreement with the manager that you would only work some mornings."

"Well, it's the day before Valentine 's Day and apparently a lot of people use today to buy bread…which is odd but I've been told to expect that during these little holidays. Anyway, you've got that glow in your eyes so I know that you probably have some loans to collect anyway and that'll probably take you all day."

He grabbed a razor and some shaving cream, "What errands do you have to run?"

"Oh just some…things to get us ready for Valentine's Day."

"You know I hate it when you go all out on this overrated holiday, dear. There's absolutely nothing about it that you and I don't do several times in the year already."

"Or a week," she smirked and kissed his neck, "If it bothers you then just treat it like any other normal day because I have a new dress that I bought and you're going to like it."

"I think that you just issued me a challenge dear."

"Well you know what, I know how you feel about tomorrow because you remind me every year. Now I try to make sure you're happy and satisfied by the end of that, the least you could do is offer me the same courtesy and try and be cheerful because I'm going through a lot of planning and trust me darling if it all goes the way I'm hoping then this is going to be a valentine's day that you'll never forget."


	26. Chapter 26

**Once Upon A Time in Storybrooke**

It was cloudy the next morning and so Dawn searched the house until she found an umbrella, locked up the house with some keys her husband left her on the table as well as some money and walked down the stairs.

Mr. White's car down the street couldn't have been any more obvious.

She smiled to herself and walked towards it, part of her expected him to drive off as soon as she spotted him but he looked resigned that he'd been caught and rolled down the window, "I'm sorry Mrs. Gold but he pays me to do this."

She opened the door and climbed in.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

"Well, there's no point in going around in two separate cars, is there? Nor is there any point in walking while you follow me. I need to go to the grocery store and then to buy some clothes."

"I'm not your driver."

"You're my husband's bodyguard and he assigned you to watch me and make sure my father doesn't come calling. Driving me around isn't taking away from your bodyguard duties. If anything it ensures that you can watch me a little bit better, right?"

"You just want a ride."

"That wouldn't hurt either," she looked at him, "I'll buy you lunch?"

* * *

><p>Dawn held the grocery basket and walked down the aisles. What did one take when they were going camping? She really doubted her husband was a s'mores kind of guy but she imagined she'd be surprised at some of the guilty pleasures he had. And she couldn't take anything refrigerated because she wasn't sure how well the power worked there.<p>

"Dawn!"

She turned to see her father walking down the aisle and she immediately took a few steps back. She searched over the aisles for Mr. White but at a time like this, it looked like he had gone to place some of his own groceries in the car.

Her father looked cleaned up but that didn't mean anything. He'd made several promises to reform before and always went back on his word.

"Dawn," he smiled as if relieved to see her; "You look good."

* * *

><p>She found her voice and felt her anger after years of mistreatment come through, "Yes, it's amazing what a few days of being safe will do to a person."<p>

"Safe with Mr. Gold of all people."

"Safer than when I was with you."

His jaw set, "At least until he gets tired of you. Or until he finds someone else far prettier than you are. Why do you think that he chose you? Because he knew that you'd take the first man that came along and he can do whatever he wants to anyone else and you won't say anything. You'll just take it."

Out of the corner of her eye she saw that Mr. White had spied them talking through the window and was now rushing towards the front doors.

"What do you want, dad?" she demanded.

"I need some money for rent."

It was a lie, "You have enough money for rent. I made sure of that before I left."

"You left out 50 dollars."

"Dad, come on," she scoffed.

"Dawn," he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him, "Don't walk away from me."

Mr. White appeared behind him and placed what looked like a vice grip on his shoulder. He didn't say anything. He didn't need to. Her father reluctantly let her go and she placed her basket on a shelf and walked out to the car.

She didn't see her father walk out of the store but Mr. White came out with a grocery bag that he'd placed on her lap when he got in the car, "Are you alright?"

She didn't look at him, "I'm certainly glad we got clothes first."

"Do you want me to take you by the pawn shop?"

"No," she shook her head and tried to keep from crying in front of him, "Just take me home."

"I'm going to have to tell him you know."

"I'd rather you didn't."

"Your husband asked me specifically to tell him if your father ever confronted you. I have to do it."

"I know. I would just rather you didn't," she adjusted the bag in her lap, "Thank you for the groceries."

"I don't suppose I can get it past your husband to pay me extra for being your driver and grocer today, can I?"

A small smile creeped on her lips, "I don't imagine he will but it'd be worth his face to see you try."

* * *

><p>Dawn had packed by noon and all that was left was the waiting.<p>

She tried to imagine what her husband would say and she tried to imagine explaining what happened to him. He'd want to talk about it. Would he be angry? Upset?

She tried to take a nap but she found herself lying in the bed staring at the ceiling while it began to rain outside. Not even the rain settled her down and she tried reading but still found herself distracted.

Finally at six she was greeted by her husband as he walked in the door. Mr. White wasn't with him, thank God, but she could tell from the look on his face that he'd heard what happened.

"Hello darling," she greeted.

He didn't answer her at first, instead he walked over and examined her quickly, "Did he hurt you?"

"No."

"Are you alright?"

"Yes."

It was a lie and he saw right through it immediately, "Are you packed?"

She nodded and hopped off the counter, "I suddenly found myself anticipating this even more a few hours ago."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

When Mr. Gold found his door ajar later that morning, his first thoughts went to his wife. Dawn probably left it open because she was grabbing something but she never did that. She always shut the door so that someone couldn't follow her in and steal something.

The house was eerily silent when he walked in. It was almost unsettling.

But the lock wasn't broken…

However he saw from the front threshold that some things had been messed with. Dawn usually didn't mess with the antiques unless she was dusting them or doing whatever else to make sure that they stayed working.

Dawn _was _supposed to be home by now.

The thought that someone had broken in while she was home sent an icy cold chill down his spine and that protective anger he'd felt so many times before took hold.

What if they hurt her? Or were holding her hostage? It wouldn't be the first time that either one of those happened, but he doubted he could get away with what he'd done to the attackers as easily as he had in the Realms.

He creeped through the house with his gun drawn. He was perfectly within his rights to kill any intruder if he thought they were a threat to him or his wife. Moe French crossed his mind but he doubted the man would be stupid enough to go after Dawn should she be home when he broke in. He'd taken his van for failure to pay a loan, the consequences should he happen to go after Dawn would be astronomical.

Something creaked behind him and he turned around to find the sheriff standing there with a gun.

Relief filled him, "Sheriff Swan."

"Neighbors saw your front door open, they called it in."

"It appears I've been robbed."

This was just perfect. Now not only was his home broken into and he was in desperate need to call his wife and make sure she was okay, but now he had to deal with the Sheriff and her sticking her nose in where it didn't belong.

"Funny how that keeps happening to you."

Over her shoulder he saw immediately what was taken.

The teacup that reminded him of Belle.

He kept his face from showing emotion and lowered the gun, "Yes well…I'm a difficult man to love."

Dawn was pulled from her thoughts at the ringing of her cellphone. She answered it immediately even though she wasn't sure if she should have it on in here and sighed, "Yes?"

_"Dawn,"_ she heard her husband's relief in his voice, "_Are you alright?"_

_**Crap. He knew**__._ "Uh-huh, why wouldn't I be?"

_"Did you leave the door unlocked this morning?"_

She stopped for a second and tried to remember if she had or not, "No…I remember because I dropped the keys after I locked it. Um…why are you asking? What happened?"

_ "Someone broke into the house." _

She froze. Had she locked the door? No, she remembered locking the door, she had even tried to make sure it was locked like she always did, "Oh God, are you okay?"

_"I'm fine. I wasn't home. Where are you? I was scared that you'd be home when they broke in." _

"Um….running some errands," she stopped and mentally cursed the intercom when it came on.

"_What was that?"_ she heard her husband's baffled voice.

"Nothing. I'll be home as soon as I can."

"I hope that you hurry darling. I imagine that you're the only one that's going to keep me calm right now."

"Well who did it?"

"I have my suspicions. I'll talk to you more when you get home."

"I'll…be there when I get there."

"How long?" he asked.

"Hopefully just a few more minutes."

"What could bloody be more important than this?"

"Wow, you are IMPOSSIBLE to talk to when you're in this mood. I'll see you at home."

She hung up the phone and pulled her coat over her hospital gown

**Once Upon A Time**

"Bae's going to be crawling soon."

Dagian was pulled out of her thoughts and looked at her husband as they walked through the village, "He's barely six months old, darling. I don't think he's going to be crawling for at least another month yet."

"I think it'll be sooner," he smiled at the son in his arms, "He's a smart boy."

She smiled at his fatherly pride. These moments were starting to be far and few in between now that everyone was starting to come back. The conversation with the dark one bothered Dagian day and night until it was all she thought about. It ate at her every time she looked at herself, it bothered her every time she looked at her family, and it bothered her every time she looked at the other villagers.

The trouble started a week after she'd had the conversation with…_it_. Rumpelstiltskin was begrudgingly accepted when he worked because most of the others were too traumatized or too injured to get a lot of work done. They shunned him though. The children taunted him with names and there were whispers behind his back. The only reason they didn't taunt him to his face was because he had stayed with the women when he returned and managed to help pull of a decent if scarce harvest that they could all survive on.

Dagian was a different story. She had all her limbs, she was healthy, and she was a perfectly acceptable target for those that felt bad for harassing her crippled husband.

The taunts were bolder when she walked down the street alone or with her son. People spit on her or in front of her but she tried to hold her head high and ignore them.

A sort of cloud settled down in their marriage now. They didn't talk as much as they used to. She never told him about the abuse she suffered and he didn't talk about his. But they both knew what the other went through.

"I think I'd take your word on his intelligence if he slept through the night," Dagian muttered.

"Well since he's weaned, I imagine I can feed him now and you can rest."

"No, you put in a lot more work during the day then I do. You need your sleep."

"And you haven't had a good night's sleep since he was born. I don't mind, Dagian."

She was about to answer him when she froze and put her hand on her husband's arm, "Rumpelstiltskin…"

He saw it too. Someone had ripped their curtain in the entrance of their home almost in two and it only hung by one hook now. The word 'coward' had been carved in large letters on their doorframe.

"Gods," he muttered and handed the baby, "Stay here."

She wrapped her arms around her son protectively and glared at the townspeople that were starting to mill around the house in curiosity.

She would rather face whoever was in there than face their glances and glares and she walked into the house.

The entire house was destroyed. The cradle was broken their bed had been overturned and torn with what looked like a large knife. Their table was overturned as well, scattering wool and straw so close to the fireplace that it was a wonder the entire place hadn't been burned down.

Bent and twisted was a candelabrum that Baelfire had given them for their wedding.

Rumpelstiltskin stood on the far end of the hearth; he looked at her with sad eyes, "Don't come in here Dagian."

She felt tears slide down her face, "Who did this?"

"Dagian, go outside."

She noticed he was standing in front of something as if he were hiding it. The location of where he was in the house immediately clued her in and she felt her heart start to race, "What did they do?"

"Just take the baby outside-"

"What did they do?" she demanded.

He moved out of the way and showed her the broken box and she walked forward. When Rumpelstiltskin had found out her name after she'd been brought here, he and Baelfire had ridden to the abandoned village and gathered some of the things that had belonged to her family. Some toys she had as a child, some jewelry…her mother's wedding band that she hid in fear of being robbed. And a small box that her father had carved her. She had kept everything in that box and buried it when the war started in fear of looters.

How did they find it?

She pushed past her husband and looked for the belongings. The jewelry was broken and scattered. Its glass beads that were still intact shone on the floor. The toys and her mother's wedding band had been thrown in the fire. The toys were burned beyond repair and somehow her mother's ring had been twisted so while the fire wasn't hot enough to melt it, it was ruined.

"Darling," she felt her husband catch her, and she wasn't even aware that she was about to fall. He set up a chair and helped her sit down. And then he put the baby in the cradle. It'd been broken but it was still usable, "Dagian. Please talk to me."

"We can't stay here."

He knelt in front of her, "And where else are we going to go? Have you seen the way the traders look at me, Dagian? Everyone on this side of the Realm knows me and what I did. There's no one safer to go."

She stared sobbing, those mementos were all she had left of her family and now they were destroyed. And for what? What purpose did this all serve?

"So we just have to sit back and take what they do to us, is that it?" she demanded angrily through her tears, "They hate us here, don't you understand that?"

No," he reached over the table and grabbed her hand, "Dagian if we leave then they're going to use that as an excuse to try and conscript me again because they can claim that I haven't been drafted yet if we end up in a village that hasn't had its villagers drafted. Or they could claim that I went from village to village in an attempt to avoid the draft."

"Well we have to do something," Dawn said, she knew that she was just taking out her anger on him but she was tired of keeping quiet about this. She was tired of crying herself to sleep at night with him none the wiser "We can't keep living about this, Rumpelstiltskin. We can't."

"What do you propose that we do? How far do you expect to run with a baby and a crippled husband?"

Another solution that she'd been considering popped in her mind and she bowed her head in humiliation.

He stared at her in stunned silence and then his face crumbled, "No, no, no, Dagian you can't consider that."

She felt the tears fall down her face, "It's been easier for you. You don't know what it's been like for me."

"No," he grabbed her wrists in an iron grip, eyes begging, "What do you want Dagian? What haven't I given you?"

"I want to be safe!" she nearly screamed and then drew a sobbing breath. IT was hard to breathe when one was crying this hard "I don't want them hating us anymore. I want it to be like it was. Where- where you didn't wake up from nightmares and I wasn't counting down the days where they would come for me. I want it to be like when we were happy. And we're not happy Rumpelstiltskin; we haven't been for a long time."

"You promised you would stand by me," he argued, "You knew the consequences of what I did and you promised to stand by me."

"I know. But I didn't think it would be this bad. I didn't think our _beloved_ village would go as far as they have. "

"You and Bae were the only reason I survived the war. You were the only reasons I had to come back. Dagian," he looked at her, eyes begging, "Dagian please. You're all that I have. I can't…I'm trying. Just tell me what you want. Tell me how we can fix this."

"I don't think there's any way we CAN fix this. We can't run away. I can't stay here. Rumpelstiltskin I'm at my breaking point and they-"

"What did they do?" he demanded, "What else have they done? I know you've been unhappy for awhile. I can see it. Tell me what they did and I'll make it right."

"They're not going to listen to you and it's not just them."

"Then what is it?" he demanded.

She looked away; she didn't know how she was expected to explain the thing that she'd seen at the well? Especially when he'd done nothing to her. He'd just confirmed her suspicions and planted the seeds of doubt that had quickly taken root. It would be easy to cast the blame on him, and Rumpelstiltskin would believe her. But she knew it was a lie.

"Please," he interlocked his fingers into hers and she wanted nothing more than to pull away. Not because she hated him but because she was ashamed of the thoughts going through her mind, "You're tired…you haven't slept all night in months and the midwives said that your body could take up to a year to be fully healed. And they talked about a depression that you would probably go through. That's part of what you're feeling, right? We can fix this. We can…we can clean up and I'll ask Morraine's mother to watch Bae and we'll sleep and tomorrow we'll go somewhere and talk and we'll make this right."

She closed her eyes and lowered her head. She knew that they wouldn't solve anything. They were just putting off what was inevitable. She knew that he would talk her into staying. She could never say 'no' to him when he got upset or emotional.

But if she stayed then she feared the abuse would get worse. And even if that happened then she would eventually be drafted. Dauis had left them alone since he'd sent her into labor but that didn't mean he forgot. The last time the recruiters were there to take some of the women that hadn't served before; she'd seen him glaring at her. AS if he was counting down the weeks till he could force her to serve as well.

She knew that she might as well be signing her own death certificate if she left. She had nowhere to go, barely any money to her own name. The only thing she could do was to start walking and never turn back.

If she left then they wouldn't force Rumpelstiltskin to become drafted again because someone would have to raise the baby. At least if the duke had some honor left.

Oh gods, she was justifying it.

She pressed the palms of her hands against her eyes and tried to keep from sobbing. She was tired of living like this. She wished they could go back to like it was but they couldn't.

Rumpelstiltskin slowly stood when he didn't get an answer and the hurt and angry look that he gave her made her hate herself more. It reminded her of everything he'd done for her, of everything he'd hoped and all the plans they'd made together. It made her think of the life that she was forsaking by doing this.

"At least grant me one thing before you leave," he said, his voice had taken a hard edge, "At least let me have Bae. The roads are no place for a baby. You of all people would know that."

She flinched but she deserved that barb. She knew she deserved a lot worse.

The rustle of the curtain meant that he'd left. She turned to see that he'd taken Bae with him.

Dagian was gone when he returned.

Rumpelstiltskin felt his heart shatter when he saw that she had taken some clothes and money that she'd earned from selling wool and he tried to swallow the lump in his throat as his son started to stir on his shoulder.

"It's alright Bae," he kissed his son on the forehead, "You're mother…died today. But we'll be fine. We'll be alright. It's just going to be you and me now."

Eventually he came to almost believe the lie himself.

* * *

><p>The Dark One kept the shadows as he watched the woman walk down the King's Road by herself.<p>

Finally. He was worried that he was going to have to kill her to remove her from the picture and take away the only voice of reason that Rumpelstiltskin was going to have in 14 years when he talked him into taking the dagger and killing him. Destroying the house and her things had been the last straw. It wouldn't be so bad in itself but thanks to her depression after giving birth, and her exhaustion, followed by the shame of her feelings for thinking he was a coward, the townspeople's mistreatment of him and him appearing to her and it was inevitable that she would leave.

He even thought she would leave with the baby but Rumpelstiltskin had put a stop to that.

The girl would be fine though. That recruiter that had taken to her…Filib or whatever his name was….he would find her and keep her alive long enough for Rumpelstiltskin to distribute whatever justice he wanted for her leaving him.

And he imagined arrogance would keep her alive, she was a general's daughter. She had pride and that was her weakness.

Rumpelstiltskin would be a good candidate for shouldering the curse. He wouldn't abuse it like so many in his position would

13 and a half years and it would be over.

Well, when one was 657, what was almost another decade and a half?


	27. Chapter 27

**Once Upon A Time**

The ogre war lasted for fourteen years.

It was Dagian's first thought every day when she woke up and it was the last thoughts she had every night before she went to bed. For 14 years she lived in the constant paranoia that they would come for her. Technically she was a criminal since she avoided her services to fight the war. But since the countryside was struggling every day just to survive then she wasn't noticed. Very few people cared anymore that she was Dagian; charged with treason and wife of the man who ran. Why would they care when it was just a struggle every day to survive?

She traveled constantly. Always on the move to avoid the recruiters. She was aware that how much trouble she was in and she knew what would happen if they caught her. She'd be thrown on the front lines in a place she would be killed to serve as an example. But that would be after she was flayed for running as long as she did.

Her friend…Filib, the recruiter that had helped her village all those years ago when her husband had been pulled away while she carried Baelfire in her womb, helped her survive by letting her know when the recruiters were coming her way. She tried to stay in villages that had already served their time but sometimes she would end up in a village that hadn't. She would spend days hiding in the nearby woods while mothers and wives and children screamed as their loved ones were ripped from their arms.

And then desperate to escape the chilling screams and her own memories of the same thing happening to her, she packed what little things she had and moved on.

Fourteen years of that life left her a shadow of her formal self. She was much thinner than she should've been. Her thick red curls now hung limp and lifeless and her eyes didn't look as green or alive as she once remembered.

She spent the first two months of the fourteenth year she'd left working in an inn as a laundry woman. The winter that year had been anther cold one and she'd just barely made enough money to scrape by. She worked more than she slept to earn those coppers. By the time spring finally rolled around her hands were so red, raw, and dry from her working that they bled frequently

"Dagian!"

She looked up sharply from the tub she was bent over and recognized the voice immediately. She stood when she recognized Filib, the recruiter that'd helped her get a position here in a way that the innkeeper didn't ask questions and barely made it to the door before he threw it open, "The war is over."

She blinked. She hated this dream, "What?"

"The war is over," he wrapped his arms around her smaller frame in an embrace, "A truce was made."

She tried to process what he was telling her. No more recruits? She could settle down? Stay in one place? She wouldn't have to sleep on the road anymore praying that she would find food the next day? Or that she wouldn't be robbed or worse?

"But….but how-"

He grabbed her hand and pulled her through the door to the outside. The inn that she worked in was large and well known and so the keeper could spend money to make it gorgeous. There was a large garden on the property that always seemed like such a…like such a clash. It was a heavy reminder that there was still beauty and there was still life to be found despite the horrors of war and the struggle for survival.

Filib led her to a bench and sat her down. His eyes were dancing with glee and he put his hand on her back.

She put her face in her hands in relief and started sobbing. She knew that technically she would be a war criminal all her life. However now that the recruiters would be pulled back then she didn't have to live in such a fear that she'd be caught.

"Dagian," he took her hand and from the look on his face, she knew what was going to ask. Again, "Dagian, marry me."

She averted her gaze. Was she supposed to settle down now? Forget everything she experienced and give him a family? She didn't even stay with the one that she already had, how did he trust that she'd stay with him now?"

"Dagian," he told her seriously, "It's been fourteen years. One day you're going to need to forgive yourself for leaving them."

"By starting over, that makes sense."

He averted his gaze and sat next to her, "I love you. You know that."

"I don't know why you would," she said and stared ahead, ashamed, "I ran away from a marriage and I abandoned my duty in war. Not exactly the ideal choice in a soldier's wife."

"And I don't know why you'd love a recruiter either since you claim that it's the most cowardly position a soldier could serve."

"You didn't have a choice though," she reminded him, "You also served four times in the war. I don't hate recruiters as much as I hate the ones that abuse their power and unfortunately that's more of them then what there should be."

"The things I've done are still hardly noble."

She looked at him. The things he'd done to keep her safe, the risks that he'd taken for her own cowardice. He'd waited for her for fourteen years. She didn't want to marry him out of obligation, that'd been the main drive for why she was refusing to be with him for fourteen years.

But she couldn't deny that there was a part of her that loved him. He didn't care if she was a coward or a criminal. She didn't understand why he loved her despite everything she was but she knew that despite her own misgivings and her inability to trust herself she did want to be with him.

"Are you sure you're ready?" she asked, "I've developed this rather bad habit of running away from my problems."

"I'm sure we'll work it out," he said and kissed her hand, "Will you marry me?"

The war was over. It was a good time to start anew and maybe if she married Filib then she could restore some of the dignity that she had left.

She could build herself back up again. She screwed up being a wife the first time, maybe this time she could actually hope to get it right.

"Alright," she said and he visibly brightened, "I'll marry you."

She smiled as he grabbed her face gently and kissed her. She drew back slightly but placed her hands on his chest. It'd been a long time since she'd been kissed like that.

All of a sudden he stiffened in her arms and she pulled back, "Filib?"

A moan escaped his lips and he fell forward, an arrow was implanted in his back.

"Filib," she cried and saw someone coming from a hiding place in the bushes. Out of the corner of her eye she saw two men approaching her from the inn. They weren't…villagers that she saw every day when she went home. They were wearing different. Richer clothing…like someone that would serve a king instead of a duke.

She got on her feet, ready to take off towards the woods on her right but another one grabbed a fistful of her hair and forced her on her knees with a knife to her throat.

"Sorry to inconvenience you, Dagian, but we're looking for your husband. And since he's not exactly showing himself to us right now…we kind of need your help."

Before she could ask what he was talking about, a bag was forced over her head.

* * *

><p><strong>Once Upon A Time In Storybrooke. <strong>

Dawn had never been to the cabin in the woods even though she'd lived in this stupid town for as long as she could remember.

Everyone else had. Or so they said. The locks were flimsy and most claimed that they'd taken advantage of that as a sort of 'up yours' toward Mr. Gold because he owned it.

She doubted it was true though, people crossed the street just to avoid him. Why would they come damage his little vacation home when he could easily find out who was responsible?

"Bit cold tonight," he muttered, opened the door and put his hand on the small of Dawn's back. She tensed at the intimate gesture as he led her in and it just turned awkward when he didn't remove it after they were inside.

"I think we should get this issue concerning your father out of the way, dear."

"It's sort of cold," she said and drew her jacket closer, "I think I'm going to get a fire started."

"I can do that."

"No, no," she said and looked at his leg, "I can. I saw some firewood on the porch; I can get a fire going. It looks like it's going to rain anyway and I don't mind. In fact after today, it'd be nice to have something to hit. "

"Would you like me to make us something to eat?" he asked.

"That'll be nice."

"Hm," he mused, "Interesting gender role reversal.

"Do you want to talk about what happened today?" Gold asked and took a bite of the stew that was on his bowl

Dawn sat cross legged on the couch with her untouched bowl in her lap, "Not really. I was hoping that you hadn't heard about it."

"Mr. White works for me, darling. Of course he'd tell me what happened. You said you were okay but with all due respect, I don't think you are."

"Well I don't want to talk about it," she looked down.

"Darling," he put the plate on the table and turned to face her, "We've already established that I'm not going to leave you but considering the controlling nature of your father I'm afraid I'm not getting the same assurances."

"Yeah, as if I'd go back to that life."

"I also really don't feel comfortable if you enable his rather bad habit."

She scoffed, "I wasn't going to give him money for drinking."

"Were you going to give him money for rent? Because that was the excuses he use to come to me for and I admit…I gave him the money because either way I was getting it back with interest but I think you can agree that this is different."

"No darling, I'm not an idiot. I know not to give him money because he's going to lie and use it for the bar," she shook her head and wiped a tear from her face.

"Ah, see? You're not alright."

"I thought that I was going to be safe. I never even realized that I was going to see him again after we got married."

"It was supposed to have been handled," he said and she immediately detected the anger in his voice.

"My father is stubborn," she said and shook her head, "Don't blame Mr. White, he had no way of knowing that my dad was in the store."

"Regardless," he moved closer and put his hand over hers, "I've made sure that he won't bother you after today."

She rested her head on the couch, the emotions of today left her exhausted emotionally so she didn't have the energy to get angry at him or scared at the insinuation. It wasn't like she still had that love for her father anyway, "What did you do?"

"Don't worry dear," he gave an ambiguous smile, "I didn't kill him. However I imagine that I left enough of an… impression on him that he won't ever come near you again."

She smiled despite her tears, "You know I expected not to be scared anymore but when I saw him again my…the feelings just came back."

He reached over and wiped the tears off her face with the back of his knuckle and she closed her eyes and smiled at the touch. She felt much more relaxed at him touching her than she had when they married a couple of days ago.

"Who would've thought," he said after a beat of silence, "That someone like me would've been the one to save you."

She laughed despite herself and shook her head, "Is that what you're going to put in your vows if we ever renew them?"

"Something like that," he smiled and moved to kiss her cheek.

She turned her head so that he'd catch her mouth with his. She expected him to pull back or get angry but instead he returned the gesture and placed his hand on her back so that her body was pressed against his.

And it felt like a spark was ignited and for some reason, and she didn't know how to explain it, something just clicked and she felt right. After an entire lifetime of feeling out of place, she finally felt that even though she would still be an outcast, she was where she belonged.

He kept his hand on her back and changed positions so that he could lower her on the couch without dropping her and thereby spoiling the mood.

He pulled back as soon as she was laying on the couch with both her legs on either side of his hips, and stared at her face, "Are you sure you're ready for this darling?"

She pushed his hair over his hair out of his face, tucked it behind his hear and rested her hand on his cheek. Her thumb traced the sharp bone of his cheek in remembrance to the same gesture he'd given her last night.

"Yes," she whispered.

He searched her eyes as if he were making sure that she was telling the truth.

When he was satisfied that she was, he gave her a smile that was so light and carefree that it almost didn't' look like the Mr. Gold that she was so used to seeing and she was only barely aware of his hand on her belt when he began kissing her again.

* * *

><p><strong> Present Day<strong>

Dawn pulled the car up alongside the curb of the house and raced towards the front doors of the house. Her husband appeared at the door the second she hit the top step and she wrapped her arms around his neck, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he whispered and held her tightly. The seconds passed and it started to get awkward.

"Okay," she pulled away and saw that there was a hint of fear in his eyes, "I was worried when- I thought you might've been home."

"No, I had things to do."

"Well it doesn't matter now," she saw his gaze cloud over with a vicious anger that took her aback, "You're safe and that's all that matters."

She looked towards the cabinet where he kept some of his more precious items to see that only one thing had been taken out. That chipped teacup that was important to him was missing.

He averted her gaze when she looked at him and she bit back a surge of jealousy and rested her hand on the side of his face, "We'll get it back."

"Oh I imagine I will. It's a small town and he can't go anywhere," he seethed and kissed her cheek before adding wryly, "What a great surprise right before valentine's day."

She didn't respond as he walked around her towards the stairs and she bit her lip as his hand slipped from hers.

* * *

><p><strong>Once Upon A Time in Storybrooke<strong>

Thunder rumbled outside, pulling Dawn out of her thoughts. She shivered, pulled the sheet over her chest and rested her head on her husband's bare shoulder.

"Are you cold, dear?" he asked, "We could throw some more wood in the fireplace."

She looked up at him. They were still sitting on the couch. IT wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world and he'd told her earlier that the bed was much more preferable, especially since both seemed eager to pick up where they'd left off after getting some rest. However, she was scared that getting up would ruin this intimate moment that they'd both shared.

"I'm fine," she whispered and kissed his chest. She was in as comfortable position as she could be. He sat facing the fireplace she sat facing him with her legs casually strewn over his lap.

"We're going to have to go to bed soon darling," he whispered and kissed her temple.

"Well I'm not tired," she said and kissed his neck, "I certainly hope that I didn't wear you out. Perhaps I was too much woman for you."

"OH, well perhaps I'll have to prove you wrong," he said and pushed her against the cough again.

"No," she giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck as he lay on top of her, "No. Not yet darling. I'm still enjoying the moment."

"Did I hurt you?" he asked.

"No," she shook her head, "No, I'm fine. I just…"

She never thought about this. Oh she thought about marriages. She thought about honeymoons and making love and she thought about her escape from her father's home but she never thought about this. She never thought about the moments after when she was so vulnerable and so exposed physically, mentally, and emotionally next to a like this. She knew that in the following weeks and hopefully years that they would get used to these moments. And while that did give her some comfort because she had never been in this position before, she was kind of sad that the feeling would be over after this.

"Just what, dear?" he asked breaking her thoughts.

"Why did you pick me? I mean I imagine you could've had your pick of any woman in town that could've offered you more. Ruby's far prettier underneath all that makeup and…I don't know, Ashley's already got a family on the way that you could've adopted as your own because I doubt that spineless boyfriend will ever come back to her. "

"I didn't want them," he said and she felt his hand brush through the tangles in her hair and he kissed the tip of her nose.

"There were others."

"I didn't want them either."

"Why did you want me?"

He shrugged, "I don't know, Dawn. Perhaps I thought you could ground me. Perhaps I knew that you'd be alright with the kind of man I was and you'd be alright with the agreement that I presented at the table. Perhaps I wanted to help you. Perhaps I thought you were the most attractive woman in this town, or perhaps I figured that since we're both incredibly broken, then we could use each other to heal ourselves."

"Or make ourselves worse than ever," she pointed out.

He smiled and kissed her. It wasn't like the other ones before tonight, _especially _not at the wedding. This one felt warmer, more intimate and it made her regret that this moment would end.

"Do you want to go to bed?" he said and she heard the insinuation that he would much rather continue their activities in there where it was apparently more comfortable than in there.

She shook her head, "Not yet," she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and smiled when she felt him slide a knuckle down her side. She looked at the fire where it was fixing to burn out, "Just a few more minutes."

He sighed, "Alright, there's plenty of time for…other activities I suppose."

Something he said earlier sunk in and she smiled, "Aw, you think I'm the most attractive woman in Storybrooke."

**Once Upon A Time**

Dawn drew in as deep a breath as she could when they yanked her off the horse that they'd laid her on and she nearly stumbled when the ground was a lot further away then what she'd anticipated when she was yanked off.

"Ayrka," one of the men whispered, "He's not going to come for her. If he cared then he would have already. We've been riding for two hours."

She wouldn't pressed her hands against her ribcage if her hands weren't bound with some kind of tight twine behind her back

The hood was pulled off her head and she drew in a couple of deep breaths.

"Here," the man shoved a canteen against her lips. She drank two swallows and let her mouth fill with another. She eyed a knife on his belt…she knew that if she could get to it then she might be able to get free.

She spit the water in the man's face and turned so that she could grab the knife in his belt. He recovered from the surprise just as she grabbed the handle and he shoved her forward. The knife fell out of her hands and clattered on the ground.

"Gods," one of the others walked forward, "Can't you control one woman?"

He hit her across the face, grabbed her by the front of her dress, and threw her down. A rock hit her ribcage, jarring it even more and she tried to force herself up.

"Perhaps we're not…enough of a threat for him to want to save you," the one called Aykra said and removed his cloak, "Perhaps we should…get his attention some other way."

"No," she said and scooted backwards, "No, no, no."

"Call for him."

"I don't even know why…I don't even know what's going on. Please…let me go."

"Oh, you haven't heard?" he grabbed the back of her hair and forced her to look at him, "I suppose you wouldn't…news doesn't travel fast in these parts…."

She heard a gasp to her right and from the looks of it then so did Aykra. One of the men lay dead a few feet away.

This time a scream sounded behind them. The other one…the one that had given her the canteen leaned against a tree. Dagian saw immediately that his head had been snapped so viciously that the only thing keeping it from rolling off was the skin.

Aykra put his hand on his sword, "Show yourself!"

"Be careful what you wish for," a voice hissed and a being walked out from behind a tree. He was wearing a dark purple robe but his face was so familiar. If it wasn't for the eyes then she would swear it was…

She drew in a shaky breath…Oh gods no…

"Hello dearie," Rumpelstiltskin smiled at her and paid not the slightest bit of attention to the man standing over her, "Did you miss me?"


	28. Chapter 28

**Once Upon A Time**

Dagian knew that she probably shouldn't stare at the….hideous disfigured…thing that used to be her husband but for some reason she couldn't take her eyes away from his snake-eyed pupils.

The two captors that survived immediately took three steps back when Rumpelstiltskin took one step forward.

He noticed it immediately and a smirk played across his lips, "What do you think you're doing, boy?"

"We're here to negotiate."

"And what exactly could a child like you want?" he asked with a sneer in his voice, "That would require you to come to me like this?"

"You know why we're here," the man said and Dagian tried to keep herself from shuddering in fear when she felt a sword press up against her neck, "Our king will be willing to trade your wife for the dagger."

He looked down at her briefly as if he was considering it, "And what makes you think that I'd be interested in trading my freedom for _her_? She has a horrible habit of running away. Seems like a bad investment. What would I do with her?"

"Well I certainly don't care. Cut out her tongue or put another son in her belly. Maybe she'll stay for this one."

A dark look crossed Rumpelstiltskin face and Dagian felt a jolt of fear down her spine. If he accepted the negotiation or not, she had a sinking feeling that she wasn't going to make it out of this one alive.

"And why on Earth would I negotiate with you when I can just take back what belongs to me, boy?"

The man paled as he seemed not to have considered that and realized his king might've sent him off on a death mission.

He walked forward, "I'll be taking back my property now."

Dagian's heart beat wildly in her chest and she wanted nothing but to run but she knew that if she did that then the sword that was still pressing against the back of her neck would most likely be used.

"Stay away from us," Dagian let out a small cry as the sword bit into her flesh.

"Or what, child?" he sneered, "You'll kill her? You lose that bargaining chip if you do boy. And there won't be anything to save you when I'm done with you should that happen. What did you do to your king to make him send you on such a suicidal mission?

The man kicked her hard in the back and she stumbled facedown with a cry.

"Take her then. I was…I was only following orders."

"Oh were you now?" Rumpelstiltskin taunted. Dagian spied the knife that she'd dropped next the corpse of the second one that he'd killed and she scrambled towards it, "Did you really think you could put your hands on my wife, _my wife_ and I would give you anything you wanted? Oh no, boy. You're not getting the dagger. But I'll tell you what. I'll send you back to your king skinned alive and he'll see what that knife is really capable of."

Dagian maneuvered her hands to grab onto the knife that was on the ground and awkwardly cut the twine that held her wrists together. It came free and she scrambled up and raced down the road just as her husband forced his thumbs into the leader's eyes.

His screams sent chills down her spine. If she could make it to the trees then she might be able to disappear. She didn't know where they were but she could survive. She always did. She was successful at disappearing within a moment's notice and she had no doubt she could do it again.

"I'm not done with you yet, dearie!" she heard a snakelike voice call down the road behind her.

A hand grabbed the back of her dress and pulled her backwards. Her legs went out from under her and she hit the ground hard, the wind was driven from her body. She laid there for a few minutes trying to breathe.

He hovered over her, "Where do you think you're going?"

"Please," she gasped, "Don't do this."

"Don't do what?" he forced her up and led her back down to the bodies, "I'm curious to know what you think I'm going to do."

"Don't kill me."

"Snapping your neck for running away from our family when I needed you the most is too easy a punishment for you."

He shoved her hard onto the road; Dagian landed next to one of the bodies and tried to scramble away as soon as she realized that the body was in fact, skinned, "Oh gods…"

Rumpelstiltskin wrapped his arm around her waist to keep her from running in fear. She bent over and emptied what little lunch she had, "Stop trying to run dear, you won't get very far and I might not be so nice next time."

She drew in a few more shaky breaths, "What are you going to do to me?"

He straightened her up and took her bloody wrists in his hands to examine them. Anger flashed across his pupils and she tried not to pull away at the feel of his lizard like skin. She was afraid that any sudden movements might set him off.

"That's going to scar, dearie. "

"What are you going to do to me?" she demanded again.

"I don't know, I haven't decided yet," he leaned in close and she flinched at his rotting teeth. She pressed her back against a tree to avoid him but he moved closer, seemingly thrilled that she was cornered, "But I think I'm going to keep you close. Wouldn't want you to get yourself kidnapped again by any of my enemies. They might not be as nice as these three"

She heard some commotion down the road and from a brief glimpse she saw the men coming down the road were wearing the same uniforms that the men he'd just brutally murdered were wearing.

An insane smile forced on Rumpelstiltskin's face, "Shall we have some fun?"

Her eyes grew, "No! No, please."

"So eager," he said with fake glee and leaned so close that she turned her head away in disgust, "I do suppose it's time to take you home though. It is high time Bae met his mother."

He wrapped his cloak around her and she flinched at the sudden contact.

"Welcome home dearie," he whispered mockingly in her ear and pulled away quickly with some look of disgust on his face.

She found herself pressed up against the wall of their old home. She scanned the villagers for any sign of them helping her but no one moved. Most she didn't even recognize. It wouldn't have mattered anyway; they just eyed him with fear and moved on.

"Let me show you your room," he grabbed her by the arm and led her towards the back of her house, "You're not meeting our son looking like this."

* * *

><p><strong>Once Upon A Time in Storybrooke<strong>

The slight moving of the bed pulled Dawn from her dreamless sleep and she opened her eyes to find herself in the bed of the cabin. She didn't know what time they'd come up here last night to pick up where they'd left off on the couch. Nor did she remember drifting off to sleep as her husband held her in his arms, but she supposed she had.

She felt her husband's arm around her body in an embrace and she smiled to herself. She didn't know how to explain it but being married to the most terrifying man in the town had brought something out in her that made her happy. Maybe it was because she wasn't seeing the terrifying loan shark businessman anymore. Maybe it was because she was seeing a little bit under those layers. Not the full man at the core but something more than most people had probably seen.

They were almost normal.

She knew it would end though, they would return to their normal lives and she would be reminded of the kind of man he was and the kind of life she would have but she didn't care about that anymore because she was happy. As selfish as that sounded, she didn't care anymore. She didn't care what anyone thought anymore because being married to the most feared man in town now meant that she was safe.

She rolled on her back and smiled at her husband as he opened his eyes, "You awake, dear?"

She nodded and turned so that she was facing him, "Yes, I'm awake."

"Are you alright?" He asked and pulled her closer to him. She placed her hands on his chest, not in an effort to push him away but anything else would require him to lift his head and it just seemed like too big of an effort when she could just place her hands here.

"Yeah," she nodded, "A little sore but I'm alright."

He rubbed her back and kissed her, "Well now that you're caretaker to my rather large estate…"

She lifted her head in confusion and then rolled her back with her hands over her eyes and started laughing, "Really? Is that what works with the women? '

"Yes…once."

She stopped; she should really learn to think before she opened her mouth. She didn't want to think about her husband's previous conquests right after she just consummated their marriage with him.

"Do you want anything?" he asked and combed one of his hands through her hair. She'd learned quickly that it was his favorite gesture of affection when he wasn't kissing her. She sort of wished he hadn't picked one that tugged at her scalp when it was tangled.

"I am a little hungry," she admitted.

"Alright," he grabbed a bag that he'd placed in the room earlier and opened it. The clothes they wore yesterday were currently on the floor in the living room. "The power here is horrible but I imagine we can scrounge something up."

"We?"

"Well do you think that I'm going to do all the cooking, dear?" He gave her one of his shirts as her bag was still in the living room as well.

"I can cook, just not well."

"We're going to have to change that, now won't we?" He whispered in her ear and it sounded a lot more seductive than it should have.

"Oh honey," she whispered as he rolled on top of her and kissed her. She intertwined her fingers in his and then groaned in disappointment as he rolled off her and climbed off the bed, "Tease."

He smirked, "My cane's over here."

"Oh, don't act like that was an accident."

"Of course not darling but we have work to do to make this cabin livable for the next two days and if we get most of it done then I can guarantee you that tonight will be reward for a job well done."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day <strong>

Gold hated the weeks leading up to and week of Valentine's day. He hated being reminded constantly about true love and having it shoved down his throat with overly pink and red hearts and flowers and chocolate on sell. It was enough to turn his stomach. Now that was an insulting thought. He'd survived countless centuries and seen countless horrors and this of all things made him sick.

It reminded him of Belle, it reminded him of Dagian, it reminded him of missed opportunities and outer forces and inner doubts. It reminded him of hopes lost and unwinnable decisions.

It reminded him of simpler times when he'd been ignored but content.

It reminded him that this world was not so different than the one he forsook.

He turned over in the bed and looked at his wife. She knew about the teacup and what it meant to him. She never questioned him about it, just like he never questioned the engagement ring that she kept in her jewelry box. She thought it'd been from a dead fiancé that she lost in war but he knew it was from Filib. One of the things that had crossed over with them had been that.

He wondered if the man had even had a name over here. Or if Dagian only knew that she'd had a man she'd loved that she lost and married Gold as a way to escape and have at least someone that understood her."

She kept it next to the wedding ring he'd given her

He didn't wear his, so she didn't wear hers. He didn't see any point in doing so. Their Storybrooke counterparts had married in a business arrangement and walked the line somewhere between happiness and contentment. That wasn't exactly a marriage was it? It was more of a…how did the young ones put it? Friends with benefits? No, they were closer than that. They'd always been.

His thoughts went to his wife. She would barely sleep tonight. Both Dagian and Dawn had only ever wanted to be safe. Someone that got in his house and stole his things when she could've been home had robbed her of that security. She would spend God knew how long jumping at every noise…he wondered if she'd even be home when he wasn't for the next few days.

He could end this right now. He knew that Moe French would not have dared to act alone. He had been a cover for someone else and Mr. Gold was not so much a fool to believe that it was anyone but Regina.

She was horrible at this, wasn't she? Did she really think that he wouldn't figure out it was her after she accosted him in the street to ask him a question that he'd brushed off?

He could just…let Moe French go and immediately target Regina but that would not have been as fun. He'd been aching to get his hands on Moe French for what he'd done to end Belle's life.

And whether or not Sheriff Swan found his cup then he was going to beat a confession out of Mr. French. He'd known exactly who had talked him into breaking into Gold's house but Mr. Gold wanted to hear HIM say it.

Regina thought she had the advantage but she couldn't have been more wrong. If Regina knew that he remembered then there was nothing to stop him from coming after Regina as fast and vicious as was humanely possible. She thought she was getting him to tip his hand but she couldn't be more wrong.

Oh, he was going to ensure that she regretted this. What he was going to do to Mr. French was nothing compared to what he was going to do to her.

Dawn pulled her robe over her pajamas and smiled at her husband as she walked into the bedroom, "Honey, I Have something to tell you."

He tied his tie, "I can't right now, Sheriff Swann called me, she found our things."

"Your things," she corrected, "Or other people's things that you bring home because you have no room at the shop and we'll never have a real living room because of it."

"Are you really going into that again."

Her smile fell, "Honey, I didn't mean anything bad by it, I'm just teasing you."

"It's not a good day for that," he snapped, "What is it that you need to tell me?"

"Okay," she smiled again, "Honey…"

"What?"

Her smile faltered slightly, "Honey…"

He raised his eyebrows and waited for her to continue.

She frowned, "You know what? It can wait for tonight."

He shrugged it off, "Alright," he kissed her cheek, "I'll see you later tonight."

"See you tonight," she said, looking completely deflated, "Be home by seven."

"As the lady wishes," he called over his shoulder.

* * *

><p><strong>Once Upon A Time<strong>

Dagian struggled to keep up with her husband as he dragged her passed the old hut they'd once shared together and to a smaller one at the back of the house.

Her heart was pounding so loudly in her ears and she was shaking so badly that she kept her eyes downcast on the dirt. Her hus…Rumpelstiltskin gave her the feeling that he was quite unpredictable now and she was worried that if she said something wrong or begged for his forgiveness then he might change his mind and she'd be like the highway men.

He waved his hand and a door opened, "Welcome home dearie," he said and pushed her through it.

She stumbled in and looked around. It was a well kept room with a fire place, a table with a basin and pitcher and a bed shoved into the corner decorated in red and gold colors.

He released her and closed the door behind him.

"No," Dagian whispered and fought tears as the worst possible scene played in her head now that they were alone, "No, no, don't…please don't."

He rolled his eyes, "I didn't bring you here to force you to perform your wifely duties and shame you. I could hardly look at you right now what makes you think I'd want to touch you?"

"Then why am I here?"

"This is your room."

She looked at the room and then looked at him, "I don't…I don't understand."

"Well you'd expect to sleep in the dungeon now wouldn't you?" he looked around as if he was proud of himself, "You know there's a big part of me that believes I'm going to regret this."

She lowered her head, "I'm sorry."

"It's too late for that dearie." He snapped his fingers and a tub of water appeared in front of her, "Clean yourself up and burn those clothes. Your meeting our son in the morning and I'm not going to allow you to look like you just rolled out of the poorest place imaginable to come here."

Dagian raised her head defiantly and set her jaw. Her rebellion against his order was quiet clear.

"Darling," he said catching on immediately, "If you don't make yourself presentable then I'll throw you in that tub myself darling and it won't be as pleasant for either of us."

She paled but kept her eyes straight ahead.

He smiled as if pleased with himself and walked out of her room, "Have a good night."

He closed the door but she didn't hear him lock it. She wouldn't leave, not after what she'd seen him do. She wasn't an idiot.

Her legs gave out from under her and she sank to the ground. Her hand instinctively went to the gold ring that Filib had given her when he proposed several years ago. She had turned him down but he'd asked her to hold onto it. It'd belonged to his mother and something like that had no place in the battlefield where he was about to head to.

He believed that once she'd stop punishing herself then she'd accept.

She never told him just how much she….Oh gods all the opportunities she missed.

Filib was dead.

She wrapped her arms around herself and started sobbing.


	29. Chapter 29

**Once Upon A Time**

Dagian pulled the dark tan dress over her head and tied the laces in the back closed.

The design on the dress was so intricate that she couldn't help but admire it for a minute or two in the mirror. She ran her hand down her arm and traced some of the tan embroidery that ran down the sleeves. It was so…different. She'd seen dresses like this before but somehow it felt different from the rough homespun fabrics she was used to wearing.

It was…isolating and suffocating. It was cold and claustrophobic and she could hardly move in this thing. It was so different from the clothes that kept her warm and allowed her more range in her movement.

"Well, well, you're starting to adjust to this rather quickly."

She tensed as soon as she heard _his _voice and she turned towards him. He was leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, "Who did this dress belong to?"

"Um…I can bring you wherever I want to with just a wave of my hand, is it really hard for you to believe that I can just wave my hand and you get clothes."

"I'm surprised you even bothered."

"Oh your status is up now dearie, now what kind of husband would I be if you didn't get the best of what I can offer?"

It would've sounded…normal in any other text. It would've sounded romantic to some but he didn't bother to hide the malice and mockery in his tone. This was all a joke to him and he wasn't bothering to hide it.

"You don't like my gift," he recognized and walked toward her, "What a shame because it really does wonders to your malnourished figure, "We should really do something about that."

"Please let me go," she whispered and averted her gaze when he was right in front of her.

"Sorry dear, but I can't do that. They know about you now and what kind of a husband would I be if I let…the ones that want to control me attack you again?"

He brushed her hair away from the right side of her face and she couldn't hide the flinch when he grabbed her face and tilted away from him so he could examine her bruise on the side of her cheek that the soldier gave her. She watched him for any expression but he kept his face emotionless. She didn't know if he was angry or he gleeful because someone had actually gotten it done.

"While you are technically still my wife" he tightened his grip and turned her face to look at him, "Don't think that gives you any privileges dearie. There are only two reasons you're here and neither of those reasons are due to any lingering feelings."

She broke out of his grip and glared at him.

"You're here for Bae and you're here because if there's going to be those that make your life miserable…it's not going to be a bunch of nameless soldiers, dearie. It's going to be me."

"How very kind of you," she spat.

"I could've let you die if I'd really wanted to."

"Then why didn't you?"

"The only reason you're still alive right now is because I'm acting in goodwill towards our son. And because as I said earlier; death is too easy for people like us and he needs his mother"

She shuddered at the anger and hate in his voice and realized that she was trapped in one of the corners of the room and he was standing dangerously close.

"Please step away," she whispered.

"Oh you don't have to worry about me taking any kind of advantage on you dearie. You have nothing I would ever want again."

He turned on his heel and strode out of the room, "Cover that bruise up. I don't want Bae to think it was me that gave it to you."

* * *

><p><strong>Once Upon A Time In Storybrooke<strong>

It was different when they got to town Monday morning. For some reason an unspoken wall formed between the two as soon as they were out in public. It wasn't one out of anger, quite the opposite actually. They still talked rather warmly to each other. Maybe it was because both knew that if they displayed too much affection in public then people would try to go to her to get their rent or loan dates extended. Or maybe it was because they were just that private.

Dawn put her hands in her back pockets and smiled knowingly at her husband. She was sure that people were staring and talking about them and what happened at the cabin that weekend.

"You don't have to walk with me, dear. I know that I'm slowing you down."

"I don't mind," she smiled and walked alongside him, "It's nice company."

"And it's the married thing to do?" he asked with an eyebrow raised.

"I think I'm enjoying this married life now that I'm getting the hang of it," she smirked.

"You mean now that I've shown you some of the more…positive benefits of the married life. You seem to have lost a bit of that wide eyed innocence since you gave your vows."

"IT's always been me in here honey," she said and saw Sidney Glass nearly get hit by a car when he saw them and tried to head over, "I just hid it until I had the right opportunity. Is that a problem?"

"Of course not darling, I have an amazing gift to read people and I saw the potential in you and you were exactly what I needed."

"Someone as much of a deadpan snarker as you are?"

"Exactly," he smiled, "The town is never going to forget us darling."

"The ultimate power couple," she muttered.

"Except we actually can stand to be in the same room together," he said and he frowned when Sidney finally caught up to them, "Oh no."

He held up a camera and took a photo of them, "Interview from the loving couple?"

"Go away Sidney," Dawn said in annoyance. Lights danced in front of her eyes and she had to blink several times in order to see anything.

"How about-"

"No," Mr. Gold said and put his hand on his wife's back in an effort to push her forward.

"Or-," Sidney started, moving in front of them so that he blocked them off

"No," he said again as Dawn grabbed his hand and walked around him, "Make up something. You're quite skilled at that."

"Now, now, darling," Dawn said, "He's going to need a little bit of truth so we can't sue him for it all being false."

"Oh yes, we will won't we. What shall we tell him?" He put his arm around her waist.

"Sidney," Dawn said with faux excitement, "Tell them how we barely got out of bed this weekend."

"I don't think I can…report that."

"He would if he had gotten pictures of it," Gold told her.

"Did we have the curtains drawn?" Dawn asked, "I can't remember."

"I had my mind on other things," he reminded her.

"I just realized something darling," Dawn said, "With Sidney around; we're never going to get to try out the backseat of the car. I never got to try that when I was a teenager."

"I missed that phase too," he nodded, clearly enjoying Sidney squirm.

"I guess we'll just have to stick with the bed."

"I'm an old fashioned man, I'm fine with that."

Dawn smiled and kissed her husband, "Have a good day, Mr. Glass."

She let her husband lead her away and buried her face in his shoulder as soon as they turned the corner to suppress her laughter, "Oh darling, I was rather hoping that you've been faking that leg injury all these years."

"Why would you think that?"

"Because otherwise I'm sure we could've outran him."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Dawn smiled and climbed on her hands and knees in search of her heels while she talked on the phone to her therapist, "I'm going to tell him tonight."

"Perhaps we should talk in my office."

"Aw Dr. Hopper," she sat on the chair and put her heels on, "You're the only person I have to talk to most days. What's a simple chat on the phone amongst friends?"

"Except you haven't even told me what this news is. I mean I can imagine I could guess…"

"Well I'm not going to tell you without telling my husband first, doc, what kind of person would I be?"

"Tell me something."

"Yes I'm happy," she interrupted, "Happier than I've been in what feels like a long time."

"Were you unhappy before?"

"I don't know," she admitted, "I was _content _before but- hold on Archie, I have another call."

She clicked on the button without looking at it and put the phone back up against her ear, "Yes?"

"Mrs. Gold? This is Sheriff Swan."

Dawn immediately felt her happy mood dissipate and she drew in a breath and blew out the candles that were on the table.

When that was done, she sat down. She knew that she'd probably need to, "What has he done?"

* * *

><p>Dawn stared ahead with fixed eyes at the sheriff's station doors.<p>

Archie sat in the driver's seat and looked at her, "It's been half an hour…maybe you should go inside."

"Nope," she said angrily while keeping her gaze, "He gets to sit in there a little bit longer."

"You're going to have to go in there and talk to him."

"I'm not paying his bail," she crossed her arms, "He can sit in there for all I care right now."

"Because he nearly beat a man to death?"

She cringed, "Part of it is."

Archie seemed rather disturbed by this.

"I know it sounds horrible and maybe it is. He wouldn't have killed Mr. French. At least I hope he wouldn't have. Another part is because I know what he took. Ever since we got married, I could do anything I wanted with that house. I could decorate it, move furniture around...whatever I wanted and he didn't care. He just asked that I didn't touch that cup. He's never told me why but…I can guess. Sometimes in moments of weakness I wish that he'd love me half as much as he loved the woman that gave him that cup."

"Wishing for love isn't a weakness."

"Yes it is," she said and opened the door, "Most people have to find out the hard way."

"Mrs. Gold."

"Thank you for the ride Dr. Hopper. I apologize for getting you away from whatever you were doing."

"Are you going to need a ride back home?"

"No, I imagine the walk will do me good after I have to talk with him."

* * *

><p>Dawn barely looked at the sheriff as she stormed through the doors.<p>

"Whoa," Emma walked from her station, "Mrs. Gold…visiting hours are over."

"Make an exception," she walked up to the bars where her husband sat. He looked at her with tired resigned eyes that still had hints of anger in them. From his expression he'd rather she not be there and he'd been dreading when she actually showed up.

"Mrs. Gold-"

"Thank you, you may go."

"You can't be here."

"I'm not here to post bail, I'm not here to scream at you for arresting him, I'm just here to say something and then I'll go."

Emma must've realized that she wasn't going to change her mind because she threw her arms up and walked towards the back, "I'll be in my office in case you need me."

Her husband raised his head and folded his hands together, "So I suppose I'll have to apologize for dinner."

She glared at him and shook head.

"Don't worry dear; I'll be out of here in no time. Regina's not the only one that has judges in her pocket."

"That's not why I'm here."

"You have questions?"

"None that I really want the answers to right now," she felt her jaw clench, "I'm just here to tell you something."

"The man invaded our house Dawn, you could've been home."

"Don't play me for an idiot," she hissed, "The reason you went insane on him wasn't because of what he could've done to me…or at least it wasn't the main reason. I know what he took. I know she…whoever she _was_…is important to you and I'm sorry that it was stolen."

He looked down. Whatever he felt towards her, she could see some guilt on his face.

"But what you did was wrong," she continued, "And so I'm here to tell you that I'm not paying your bail and you can find a way to get out of this yourself.

"Dawn-."

"And then when you get home we need to sit down and have ourselves a nice long talk about how things are going to change."

"Things were fine until today," he muttered.

"Not anymore" Dawn muttered, "Darling, I'm pregnant."

He sat up straighter as a look of shock came across his face, "What?"

She put her hand on her stomach that had expanded slightly, "While you sit here, I suggest you start getting your priorities straight. Because this…whatever we have? I don't think it's going to work in about 6 months."

She grabbed her purse and walked out.


	30. Chapter 30

Dawn rested her hand on her slightly swollen stomach and watched her husband come through the door.

"Hello darling," he said before he moved to the staircase where she was sitting and waiting for him, "I expected you to be waiting at the top of the porch stairs."

"I don't want every neighbor up and down the street seeing the events of what's going to happen."

"And what do you think is going to happen, dear?"

"I don't know," she muttered, "But we need to talk about this."

"Can it wait until I rest? I've been sleeping on what amounts to a cardboard box with a blanket that smelled like all kinds of bodily fluids. And on top of that, I didn't even have a decent bathroom in that cell. I need a shower, I need a change of clothes and I just need a bit of rest. Please darling, I promise we'll talk but I need to rest."

"Of course," she said in resignation, "Us sorting out whatever's going on with you…and whatever the consequences are going to be for you nearly a man to death for taking a cup can wait until you've had your little nap."

"Dawn-," he started and sighed when she stood up and walked around him, "Dawn!"

"Just get what you need done," she said angrily, "Dinner will be ready at 6:30, you better be down here."

* * *

><p><strong>Once Upon A Time<strong>

Rumpelstiltskin smiled at his son when he sat at the breakfast table and handed him a plate, "I have a surprise for you, Bae."

Baelfire looked at him with resignation. He knew the boy didn't trust the magic, nor did he trust his father anymore. He loved his son and he knew his son loved him back. But he could also see the fear and pity in his son's gaze as well.

He needed to bring the boy back. He wanted to let him know that this would all blow over and he was still his father and this would all be alright and he could still be himself with these abilities.

"I don't want anything, papa," Bae said for what felt like the 100th time since he'd gotten his power. He wished his son was a bit more materialistic sometimes, he felt at a loss for what to do otherwise.

Except for now.

The door opened and he was able to fake a warm smile for his son's sake as his wife walked in the room, "Bae, this is your mother."

The boy's eyes widened as he took her in and he looked at his father. The blood drained from the boy's face, "Papa, what did you do?"

"Bae-," he said and stood when Bae rose from his chair and walked out the door, "Bae!"

He followed his son out the door.

"Not going the way you thought, is it?" Dagian asked as he passed her.

"Don't you dare leave this cabin," he said and walked out the door.

He found his son sitting on one of the benches outside with his arms folded in his lap. The boy kept his head down so his father didn't know that he was crying. Rumpelstiltskin didn't care that his son was doing so, but it was considered 'weak' in their little society.

"Bae, I want you to listen to me."

The boy wiped the tears off his face, "You told me she was dead. I was eight before you finally said her name for the first time. And then I found out that she left and now she's back? Papa, please tell me you're not going to hurt her."

"Bae," he started, "Your mother was in trouble when I found her. There are men that are looking for me because I'm the new dark one and they were using her to find me. I have this ability now, Bae. Don't you see? I can make our family whole again. I can heal it."

Bae looked at him, "Does she even _want _to be here?"

"She has nowhere else to go."

"You're not answering my question, papa," Bae looked hurt as if he was dreading asking this next part, "Does she even want to be with us?"

"She'll want to stay when she gets to know you."

"Papa, if she doesn't want to stay then it's wrong if you force her to do it."

"She doesn't have anywhere else to go, son," he repeated.

"But forcing her to stay here isn't going to make her like us any better. If she doesn't want to be here then I don't want her here either. It's not fair to anyone."

Rumpelstiltskin didn't say anything as his son stood up and walked off.

Dagian looked up when the door opened and her husband stepped through, "From the look on your face I can guess that it didn't go well."

He noticed a small sheen of sweat on her face. Malnutrition and lack of sleep as well as stress were contributing to this, he needed to get her healthy soon or she was going to be ill. If anything she needed to stay here in one place if she was going to survive the end of the year. She worked too hard and rested too little.

Bae would forgive him for bringing her here, and he'd get used to her. Because Bae didn't know that the dark one had manipulated her into leaving. She still left and that was her fault but he knew Zoso had played a part in it too.

"Did you sleep at all?" he asked.

"No."

She was pitiful now. At least when they were poor and had nothing she still had a vibrant beauty about her. Now she was too tired, too gaunt, too damaged. This wasn't what he imagined when he remembered her.

What had the years taken from her? She was only 35 for the sake of the gods. If she stayed in one place, if she rested then maybe she could get some of that old beauty back but she would never be the same.

Why did he care anyway? Just thinking about what she'd done, how quickly she'd hightailed it out of there made him sick.

He was doing this for Bae. Bae needed someone human that he could talk to and unfortunately Dagian was the closest thing he could trust.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Rumpelstiltskin promised her, "But I need you to stay here. For your health as much as for Bae."

"And what if I don't?" she asked tiredly.

"IT would be your choice," he said, his voice dropped to a threat, "But if you run away, I will drag you back here and if my enemies find you first then I'm not coming for you again. They'll kill you or worse in an effort to draw me out. Like it or not Dagian, I'm the lesser of two evils. Get some sleep darling; I give you my word that I won't hurt you so that should ease some fears."

He walked out of the house. Bae would adjust to her; he knew that a mother was what Bae needed.

And if that didn't work then he was at a loss.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day <strong>

Dawn kept her back to her husband as she chopped the celery for the chicken casserole that they were having for dinner that night, "See you're up

"Are you in the mood to talk?" he asked.

She glanced over her shoulder and resumed making dinner, "Not really, but I have a feeling that you're going to talk anyway."

He crossed the room and leaned against the counter. She noticed that he was favoring his leg. He wasn't doing it to gain sympathy from her; she knew exactly when he did that and she stopped falling for it after their 3rd year of marriage, "Do you want me to pull up a chair for you?"

"I'm fine," he lied.

"Your choice," she put the celery in the pan and turned to her husband, "You have my attention; I'd like that explanation now."

"Dawn…um…The woman who gave me that cup was very important to me. It was a point in my life where…where I needed someone to see through the wall I had set up and see the man that was still hiding behind it."

Dawn saw the hurt in his eyes and stared at him, "Should I be worried?"

"No," he told her honestly, "She died a long time ago."

Dawn drew a shaky breath, she didn't know if it was in relief or something else but if it was relief then she hated herself. She knew what a lost love felt like, "I'm sorry."

He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her gently to face him, "I know what you're probably thinking."

"You've never worried about what I thought about your past before-"

"What we have isn't a rebound. I don't think of her when I'm with you and my relationship with _her _happened years ago."

"I don't think that," she told him honestly, "I really don't. I would just like some confirmation that you have at least some of the feelings that I have for you."

"Oh really? And how do you feel? Because I would like to know so that I have something to work off of."

The words froze in her throat and she looked down, she didn't want to scare him off now that they were actually talking and she was having enough of a problem coming around to it herself but things had to change now that she was pregnant, "I think that maybe…hypothetically, I might love you."

He froze, "Dawn-"

"I know, we agreed that love was off limits but I figured that I love you, and being in love with you are two different things and so I thought the latter was more on what we agreed to stay away from."

She watched him digest what he told her.

"I don't need an answer now, and I don't want to hear your feelings, and I don't want you to lie to spare mine. I don't think you would do that anyway, but just in case…"

He grabbed her by the back of her neck and kissed her, cutting her off mid-sentence. She dropped the knife that she was still holding and placed her hands on either side of his head.

Finally he pulled back, "You need to understand something-."

She tried to soak in that he'd just kissed her in a way that he never had before.

"Dawn, There are people who have told me they loved me before…and yet I always seem to end up alone."

"I'll be different."

"You realize that I'm quite a difficult man to love and I may just end up hurting you?"

She smiled and took his hands, "I've been married to you forever, and I don't think there's anything you could do now that would surprise me."

"Well dear, you have every opportunity to back away now."

"And I'm not going anywhere. I think we can do this…things are going to have to change and I don't know how to go about that, but-"

He placed his lips on hers again. He shouldn't do this; they were going to hurt each other again like they had so many times, "I imagine we'll figure something out."

"I don't think Archie could handle the kind of counseling it'd take to make us a normal working couple."

"Our dysfunction is the main reason I was drawn to you," he placed his forehead against hers, his face filled with unabashed elation that she had never seen him have before, "We're going to have a baby."

She nodded and smiled through tears, they'd been trying for forever but since it wasn't working she'd all but given up on having one. Sure science had its ways now but any chance of that happening went away with all the scandals it received when specimens were mixed up or the heads of clinics would replace a father-to-be's sample with their own.

She didn't bring up the idea and her husband didn't propose it to her. Besides, it was much more fun if it was a surprise. When it hadn't happened she'd just accepted it and lived her life. She didn't need a child to make her happy. And she certainly hadn't minded all the trying.

She felt her heart melt at the boyish look in his eyes and she kissed him, "We're going to have a baby."


	31. Chapter 31

**Once Upon A Time**

Dagian pulled the blanket around her shoulders and curled as tightly as she could in bed and watched the fire.

She couldn't get warm no matter how many blankets or furs that she piled on.

After that breakfast, she'd retired to her room and curled up in the bed.

That was her son that she abandoned in the next cabin. She hadn't quite known what to expect from herself when she saw the fourteen year old boy, but what did hit were guilt and anger and grief over what she'd put him through by not being there.

He bore a lot of resemblance to his father or at least how his father used to be. She was grateful for that at least. Maybe she would actually be able to look at him in the face if she wasn't looking at a mirror of herself.

Oh gods, she was such a selfish cow for what she put them through by leaving because _she _couldn't take it anymore. Filib had thought that she should stop punishing herself. He didn't understand. She would never be able to do that and now that she was living right next to them it made it worse.

Especially with what her husband had become. Perahps if she had been there, she would able to sotp him from doing…whatever it was that he did to make himself turn into this.

She cried herself into a fitful sleep and she woke up feeling ill. She couldn't get warm, the headache she was suffering from made her susceptible to light and sound, and her stomach rolled as if she was on a ship.

The door opened and she forced her eyes open to see her husband stroll into the cabin.

"Oh for the sake of the gods," she muttered, "What do you want?"

"Bringing you for the sake of our son isn't going to work if you keep hiding in here," he told her, "Oh you look horrible."

She would've thought of a remark back but nausea rolled over her again and she buried her face in the pillow to keep from losing what little of breakfast she COULD put in her stomach.

She flinched and pulled away when her husband put his hands against her cheek and forehead, "My gods woman, you're burning up."

She would've said something but she felt incredibly weak.

He muttered something probably expletory under his breath and hovered his hand over her head. Her eyes widened when she realized that he was trying to heal her with dark magic and shoved his hand away. Magic like that left a mark on someone's soul that risked changing them. She was already a despicable person, she didn't want to make it any worse.

"Of course you'd be stubborn," he muttered and placed his hands under her back and knees.

"Don't." she warned as he lifted her up.

"YOu're sick dearie and I believe you're about to get worse. I'm not going to let you waste away in here."

"You did this," she accused.

"I can honestly say that I have absolutely nothing to do with the idea of you throwing up in my cabin. Dearie, this is probably due to your inability to take care of yourself recently."

She didn't argue that point, she worked herself too hard and rested and ate too little until yesterday.

It'd been only a day? Had it only been that short of a time?

Her husband must've used his magic to move them to the other cabin because she knew he didn't take them outside.

"Papa?"

He…not so much placed her on the bed as he dropped her on the bed and she turned over on her stomach and wrapped her arms around the pillow.

"Your mother's not doing very well," he said simply, "She needs some rest."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day. <strong>

Gold tried to control his racing mind as his wife slept next to him that following morning.

He had suspected something had been different. He'd been living out of sync with the others for 28 years; he prided himself in knowing most of their moods and behaviors but especially that of his wife. There was still enough of his ability left to sense that there was something…off…with her but he hadn't had the time to put two and two together. He hadn't even thought she was pregnant, especially since she'd displayed no outer signs of being so.

Another time of war was approaching and he was going to be a father again. Yes. It had gone so well last time. And now since the enemy was centered on him because he'd let her know that he remembered, this might not go well. He had to talk Dawn into keeping the pregnancy a secret for as long as possible. Regina would hurt her or their baby to get to him.

He would make Regina regret it if she tried but the damage would be done and he wasn't prepared to sacrifice this little moment of happiness they both had right now for not taking the proper precautions against 'her majesty.'

Dawn thought they could do this relationship thing if they tried but he doubted they would be good parents. Deep down he was a coward and a manipulator and she broke her word and cared far too little about anyone else's wellbeing than what was socially acceptable. Their child would end up more damaged than emotionally intact.

Money only did so little to cure what was born in the bone. Evil was made but he and Dawn had just enough in both of them so that it would come out full force if the right trigger was pressed. It would just lay dormant until then. That much was proven with Regina and countless others he'd seen.

He turned on his side to look at her and wondered what would've happened if things had been different. He knew the dark one before him had planted enough seeds to convince her to leave. He knew that Zoso had gotten her to leave about that as soon as he gained his powers

He doubted many things would've changed, if she stayed she probably would've been conscripted and if she survived that then he wouldn't have listened to her when Baelfire was about to be drafted as well. He would've still become the dark one regardless of how hard she would've begged him not to do it.

Maybe she would've ended up hating him more than she had.

He imagined that opinion was divided over whether or not how they actually turned out was better.

Knowing that things probably wouldn't have changed didn't stop him from thinking about where it had gone wrong. Outside forces had their part to play but inner forces always were what destroyed a relationship.

He figured the decline of the relationship wasn't when she left, wasn't when he forced her back even though those had their parts to play. It had to have been when Bae….

He buried his face in his wife's hair and breathed in her scent to keep from thinking about his son.

If Bae hadn't…been lost, then they would've found a way to be happy. Or at least as happy as they could be. They were working on their relationship but after that happened it was as good as dead.

Now they had this new chance. They were happy and he was going to take advantage of it while it lasted. It would be short lived because whenever they reached this state of bliss something always happened to sweep the rug out from under them. He didn't have to have foresight abilities to know how this would happen. Her memories were going to return when the curse started breaking away and he knew that he would answer for what he'd been doing for the past 28 years.

But then he realized that he inflicted his pain. He'd kept her at his side for 28 years and because of it and because she was several hundred years older than everyone else in the town she was an outcast.

He'd done his job. When she woke up she would be completely miserable. He would have his revenge and for some reason it just didn't feel as satisfying as he was hoping.

Maybe because now he had a baby on the way and there was a part of him that wanted to fight to keep her at his side once she woke up.

Emotional entanglements were a tricky business.

He didn't know if he could love her again. Every instinct was screaming at him not to because he couldn't be hurt after everything they'd done to each other. But maybe he could try. Without him she was going to be completely alone here and Regina would try to exploit that.

Unlike Dawn he wasn't afraid to admit that he cared about her. However he wasn't going to let that affect his judgments on his plan.

Dawn's breathing changed and she opened her eyes just in time to catch him staring at her. A warm smile lit up her face, "Admiring your investment?"

"You've always been more than that," he told her honestly and moved some hair away from her face.

"So I guess you've had time to think about what we talked about yesterday."

"I'm willing to try this out," he told her, "But don't be surprised or disappointed if it doesn't work."

"It will," she promised and wrapped her arms around his neck.

His hand immediately went to her stomach as if the child was old enough to move at its father's touch.

"You can't be sure about that," he said.

She looked at him with wounded eyes, "You still don't think anyone could stay with you? I wish you would trust me darling. I would."

He smiled despite himself and kissed her face.

Oh, if only she knew.


	32. Chapter 32

** Once Upon A Time**

Dagian didn't remember much of the next three days.

She spent most of it in a dreamless sleep but when she did dream it was always the same. Her husband was human again, and everything was like it used to be only for her husband to somehow be ripped away from her while she reached for thin air and cried and screamed that she was so sorry and she loved him.

And then she'd either slip back into a dreamless sleep or the nightmare would start again.

Sometimes she woke to hear whispering around her but she couldn't make out what they were saying. Perhaps it was her husband and son, perhaps it was the delusions that she was suffering from but they did nothing to help the nightmares.

And then on the third day, the fever broke.

Dagian stirred when she felt a breeze lift her hair and she opened her eyes to find herself in the main cabin…

…in Rumpelstiltskin's bed…

She sat up startled and looked around in fear. Rumpelstiltskin sat at the wheel and watched her with interest and amusement, "You fell ill."

Dagian pressed her hands against her eyes and tried to remember, "Bae?"

"He's outside. He hardly left your side the entire time," the accusation was perfectly clear. She left behind a son that would sit by her side in an instant, "I think you won some favor with him when you were screaming apologies in your sleep. His reluctance to have you back is almost diminished now."

Some of her memory came back "I know, I-I remember a little of it."

He smiled wryly, "Do you remember nearly taking my arm off every time I tried to heal you?"

She shook her head, "There's a lot that I can't remember in the past three days."

"Well," he muttered, "I suggest you get your priorities in order when it comes to talking care of yourself. He lost his mother once. I can't force food down your throat and I can't force you to sleep but please darling I ask you to better take care of yourself for the sake of our son. He doesn't trust me and he just found out that you were actually alive and so I thought that since I saved your life then maybe I could get some use out of you."

"I don't know why you think Bae would trust the mother that left him," she said and drew the covers closer

"He'll trust you," Rumpelstiltskin said, "He's got no one else."

"He should," Dagian muttered.

"He should," Rumpelstiltskin agreed, "But the reputations of you and me as well as him being so small and not as strong as some of the other boys during a time of war robbed him of that."

"Perhaps if Dauis hadn't forced me into labor as early as I was then he would've been stronger."

The wheel stopped and Rumpelstiltskin stared at her, "What did you just say?"

She swallowed at the malice in his voice, she thought he'd known. She thought that being...whatever it was that he was would give him knowledge about some of the things that had happened.

"Dagian," he said a little more harshly, "What are you talking about?"

Her lip quivered and she could feel the blood draining from her face, "The night I went into labor, Dauis grabbed me and called Bae the son of a coward and that Bae would never live down his father's sins and neither would I."

"And why didn't you ever tell me about this?"

"Because I was afraid that you'd blamed yourself for things that weren't even your fault already."

He watched her eyes as if he was trying to find a lie.

"And Dauis is responsible?" he finally asked.

"Yes."

His face darkened even more than what it already was and he stood and strode out of the room.

"What are you going to do?" she demanded and scrambled out of the bed.

"Stay in bed dearie, you're still too weak."

"No, what-"

The front door closed behind him and she tried it to find that it was locked.

* * *

><p>While she waited for Rumpelstiltskin to return, Dagian changed out of her outfit and back into the deep purple robes that she wore over her nightgown for warmth when the night was too cold for her thin nightgown.<p>

It started snowing by the time she'd let her hair down and took her place at the window seat.

She didn't know how long she sat there, but it wasn't long before the door flew open and her son rushed into the room, "You have to talk to him."

She stood; her son's face was both a mixture of fear and pain and she knew immediately before she asked, "What has he done?"

"He's got Dauis on the street."

Dagian stood and rushed past her son to find a crowd gathered out of curiosity and fear. In the middle of the circle, Rumpelstiltskin stood over a cowering Dauis. The seething rage on his face was evident.

Dagian scanned the faces in the crowd. Not many adults she recognized. She wondered if they knew how much of the village and its people that Dauis had sacrificed to remain a recruiter.

Dagian pushed her son behind her and stepped forward, "Rumpelstiltskin what are you doing?"

Rumpelstiltskin circled the man and kicked him in the direction of Dagian, "Oh Dauis apologized to me profusely when I was dragging him out of his cabin but I don't think he really understands the reason I drug him out of bed in the first place wasn't to punish him for anything he did to me."

Dagian's hand went to the black wool that surrounded covered her throat as she remembered the men on the highway, and the punishment Rumpelstiltskin had deemed appropriate for them hurting her.

"I'm not sure if you remember this Dauis, but a little over 14 years ago you nearly caused my family to lose my son when my wife went into premature labor because you put your hands on her."

"Please," he begged Rumpelstiltskin, "Please don't. I'm sorry."

"Oh you don't need to tell me that," he gestured to Dagian, "You need to talk to her."

"Rumpelstiltskin," Dagian shook her head, "Don't. Not in front of Bae."

He talked as if she hadn't spoken, "However it does give me great relief to know that it wasn't my fault Bae was born that night given that I also happened to tell her of my cowardice the same night. Do you know I used to blame myself?"

Dauis looked up at Dagian, "Please don't let him kill me. Please Dagian…it was an accident, it was fourteen years ago"

"Did you even see battle Dauis?" he demanded, clearly enjoying the man's discomfort, "Or were you able to manipulate everything to stay out of it completely? You spent your whole life beating down others so that you could make yourself feel like a man. I'm sorry but I don't feel any sympathy for a man that put his hands on my pregnant wife because you judged me to be a coward. And yet when you no longer have the upper hand you're sitting here begging for your life. You want to know the mark of a real man then put him in a situation where he has no power."

"This isn't going to accomplish anything," Dagian whispered, "Let him go."

"No." he placed his foot on the man's neck and shoved him down, "He had no family. He had no one to come home to and yet despite his build and his ability to fight he gets the easiest task in the entire war. "

"He was a recruiter!" Dagian shouter, "He ripped families apart. If you'd done that then I would've left you sooner than I did."

Hurt and anger swept across his face and for a second she was worried that he'd press down and crush the man's neck right there, "You should be angry at what he nearly cost us. You should want him dead."

"I do want him dead," Dagian hissed, "I know that children born early barely ever survive when they're from poor families like we were. Nothing would make me happier than to watch you kill him right here. But wanting it and doing it are two different things and if we execute him then how are we better? You have power now that's far greater than him. He's weaker than you are now. He's in the same position you were 14 years ago. He knows you're going to be watching his every move to make sure that he doesn't use his power for his own gains again. He'll be living the rest of his life in fear. You told me death is too quick for people like us. That applies to him too."

Rumpelstiltskin looked like he considered what she was saying and then turned to Dauis, "Apologize to them."

"I don't want him to apologize to me," Dagian said trying to find a way for her him to survive, "An apology is just words. Just him spending the rest of his life knowing we're watching him is enough."

Dagian drew in a small relieved breath when he pulled him up, "You're very lucky my wife pleads well."

"Thank you," Dauis breathed, "Thank you."

"You're very lucky that my wife has some of her humanity left."

"I'm so sorry," Dauis whispered, "I didn't mean for her to almost lose your son. I just wanted to get you to understand what you'd done."

Rumpelstiltskin wrinkled his nose in disgust, "However, I don't."

He grabbed the man's head and twisted it savagely.

A terrified scream escaped Dagian's lips and she pulled her son's eyes away from the savage scene. Rumpelstiltskin looked to her with an expression in his eyes that both tried to justify the actions he just took and asked for her approval.

She averted her gaze to show she didn't give it.

Rumpelstiltskin started towards the house, leaving the body there in the middle of the street. She kept her gaze focused on the body so she didn't have to look at him and made sure Bae wasn't looking at either. The boy had already seen enough death for his age.

"He's been dealt with," was all he said and walked into the house.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day <strong>

"I almost bought us a boat today."

Dawn looked at her husband as they walked down the street together towards the house, "And what would we do with a boat?"

"For the shop," He said and eyed the cotton candy she was carrying, "Are you sure you need to be eating that?"

"Don't be a mother hen," she muttered and picked a piece of the cotton candy off the cone, "I was on my feet all day working because Miner's Day means a big sale at the bakery and I need some energy and fresh cotton candy is going to give that to me. Besides, we only have fresh cotton candy twice a year in this town and I'm not wasting a night of it."

"You're contributing to the nuns," he spat angrily.

"I doubt my two dollars will end up making a difference," she replied and looked at him, "So what kept you from buying the boat."

"The money would've gone to the nuns," he told her like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

She looked at him, "Why do you hate them so much?"

"It's complicated, dear," he said and she could see some anger and grief in his eyes, "Let's just leave it at that."

"As you wish," she muttered in disappointment. Maybe one day he'd actually tell her about his past. It seemed highly unlikely though; he was far too private for that.

"Are you alright?" he asked as they walked up the stairs.

She rolled her eyes, he seemed to have gotten overprotective overnight and it was irritating. She understood why he was like this, especially since they'd been trying for years. It would probably break him if something happened and she lost it…God knows what it'd do to her.

He opened the door and let her in first, as soon as he walked in behind her, the lights went off.

"Um…," Dagian looked around, "Okay?"

Her husband opened the door and stuck his head out, "Lights are out everywhere. "

She smiled to herself as her husband blindly grabbed for her shoulders in the dark and moved her against the wall, "Don't move until I find a flashlight, you might fall over something."

Dawn was sure her mother fussed over her less than he did.

The room was pitch black and it seemed to close in on her as soon as the sound of his cane disappeared and she clenched the table behind her where her husband kept his gun. The cool steel didn't do much to ease her fears, she was a decent shot when he took her out in the woods to shoot it but she wasn't sure how good she'd do if there was someone in the house. It was hard for her to feel safe now that she knew their house was easily broken into.

Finally the sound of her husband's cane alerted her to the fact that he'd found a flashlight that actually worked, "Darling we need to check the batteries on these more."

She shrugged, "I'm lucky to remember to change the batteries on the smoke detector."

The light dimmed slightly and Dawn realized that they wouldn't really have that much time to make it upstairs.

"So, what do you want to do?" she asked him as they walked up the stairs. She didn't understand why he had a house with so many stairs if he had a limp. She supposed it was one of those things that made him…him.

She sat on the bed and took off her shoes. She didn't think swollen ankles were supposed to come until later in a pregnancy and not at the four month period but she supposed everyone's body was different.

Her husband sat next to her with a tired sigh and rubbed his bad leg, "It's far too early to go to sleep."

"And what are you suggesting, Mr. Gold?" she teased with a raised eyebrow.

He rested his hand on the side of her face and kissed her gently, she returned the gesture and he pulled back and studied her face.

"Our child will be a heartbreaker if she looks like you," he said with a wide smile

She blushed; he was just teasing her, "Oh whatever."

"I mean it," he kissed her face and wrapped his arms around her, "I think you're beautiful."

"Not many think so."

"Not many think I'm handsome either but you disagree."

She frowned, he gave himself so little credit, he was actually a handsome man when he wasn't being creepy or mysterious…or maybe the 'mysterious' part was what added that appeal.

She kissed him again and sighed, "It's not going to be very fun if I can't see you."

"Well," he kissed her and she let herself get pushed back on the bed as the last life of the flashlight dimmed out and she felt his breath against her hear, "We'll make do."

* * *

><p><em>Dawn opened her eyes to find herself laying on what felt like the flattest mattress that she had the 'pleasure' of every laying on in a room that she did not recognize. <em>

_ Or rather it wasn't a room, from the dim lighting, she could see that it was some kind of hut and the only things covering her were a cloth blanket and a heavy woolen one on top of that. _

_ She hated feeling so exposed under normal conditions but for some reason this didn't bother her. She felt…safe and comfortable here. Like this was where she belonged and nothing could make her change her mind. _

_ The bed moved and she saw her husband turn over, she couldn't see much in the dark but the outline of his face and reflection in his deep brown eyes but somehow she just knew it was him. _

_ "Are you alright?" he asked, concern was in his voice. _

_ Feelings swelled in her chest that she couldn't describe when she looked at him. She didn't question why he smelled of dirt and sweat or why there were hints of a beard when he absolutely refused to let it grow that long but she accepted it. _

_ She didn't have control of her voice when she nodded and rested her hand on the side of his face, "I'm fine." _

_ "I didn't hurt you?" _

_ The ring on her left hand felt heavy, like it was new and she wasn't used to it yet. Something told her that they were just married tonight but she didn't quite understand it…._

_ "No," she said, ignoring the ache in her body, "You didn't." _

_ The bond she felt was so strong she almost felt his relieved smile. _

_ "I love you," he whispered and kissed her shoulder. _

_ She smiled and rested her forehead on his. Somewhere in the back of her mind, something screamed at her that something was off because they weren't supposed to love each other, which was the agreement. However the suffocating feeling in her chest that spread down to her stomach whenever she looked at him and she couldn't help but say it back. _

_ "I love you too."  
><em>

_ He wrapped his arms around her and she buried her face in his shoulder. _

And then found herself reaching for air.

In confusion and panic, she lifted her head off of her pillow and found herself in the bed in her the house.

Crushing disappointment filled her as she realized that it was just a dream and she settled back on the pillow.

"Are you alright?"

She turned to see her husband was reading by the lamplight, but he'd taken his eyes off the page to stare at her inquisitively.

Well at least the electricity was back on…

"I don't know," she pulled herself to a sitting position; "I had this weird dream."

His eyes slowly drifted over her face, then to her stomach, and then back to her eyes, "I thought you didn't dream."

"I don't know," she rested her hand on her stomach and ran her other hand through her hair, "Maybe it's because of the baby or something?"

"And what did you dream about?"

"Um…we were in this hut, and we'd just gotten married and we were in the bed together and…," she smiled at the memory, "I don't know, the feelings were just so intense…and we told each other that we loved each other and I know how you feel about that forbidden "L" word, but you said it first."

His mouth set in a grim line for just a second before he set the book on the nightstand, "Will you tell me about it?"

She furrowed her eyebrows and looked at him puzzled, "Why?"

"Well darling, it's the first dream you've had since I can remember, I'd like to hear it."

She shrugged it off and pulled the blanket around her shoulders and told him about the dream she had and everything she could remember. She only stopped when he asked her about the feelings she had and how she remembered him.

AS she tried to describe the feelings she'd had in the dream, his eyes held an expression that grew more and more pained and finally he sighed when she was done.

"There are many days when I wish we could feel _that _for each other," he told her honestly.

She lowered her head and ran her hand over her stomach. She had had plans in the dream, plans of giving him plenty of sons and daughters to fill the house but it would've been impossible to keep them all alive. However it had been fun to imagine it for her…dream self.

"I'm not unhappy with what we have now," she promised him, "You underestimate what you've given me."

He laughed more to himself than to her and he shook his head, "No. No I haven't."

He kissed her and she tried to use the gesture to see what emotion he was feeling but it seemed like a mix of hurt and grief and compassion and…almost a gentleness that she only saw during very rare times that he showed her and no one else.

She felt tears fall down her face, she wished she could make him understand that she was happy but he never seemed to believe her. He never understood why anyone just couldn't be happy with _him _even though she'd stated numerous times that she was.

Her eyes started to droop and so her husband pulled back the comforter and helped her lie down. His hand rested on her stomach for a brief second and she placed her hand over his, trapping it there.

He looked at her regretfully, "I wish I could give you what you felt in that dream."

She looked away, "I didn't mean to hurt you by telling you about it."

"It's not your fault," he said and his eyes grew distant, "I'm hardened now, broken-"

"Everyone's broken," Dawn muttered and pulled the comforter over her shoulders.

He lay next to her and rested his mouth on her hair, "I do love you."

She smiled. This was certainly a first. A smart reply nearly came out of her mouth but she decided against it, "I love you too."


	33. Chapter 33

**Once Upon A Time**

The sun beat down on Dagian's shoulders as she kneaded bread dough on a bench outside.

It'd been two days after her husband had murdered Dauis and the tension had yet to lessen. Dagian cooked and cleaned for the family, she put on the show of a wife and mother, but she didn't talk to Rumpelstiltskin.

Meals were so tense that one could almost lose their appetite just by sitting there.

Baelfire sat on a bench opposite of her and drank in her movements. This had been the first time he'd really been alone with her. Rumpelstiltskin always took him wherever he went.

Dagian didn't mind. She couldn't look at her son without feeling suffocating guilt. In fact if she had it her way then he wouldn't be out here now, but he had come out here and sat, "You could do that inside."

"I don't want to do it inside," she replied blankly. She looked up as a horse whinnied down the street. She would like nothing more than to climb on that animal and ride away from this village as quickly as possible but she doubted Rumpelstiltskin would let her get far.

And after what she'd seen him do to Dauis, she really didn't want to test his patience.

"Why not?" he asked, "He's not in there."

She tensed. It was bad enough that she had to look at the face of her husband and accept the fact that he wasn't himself anymore. But she didn't want to look in that cabin for a constant reminder, "I just don't like being in there, Baelfire."

A few seconds of silence passed. She was hoping that he'd go and play with the other children but judging from their looks of fear and their averted gazes she got the feeling that her son was paying for the sins of his father.

"Don't let them bother you," she told him when she saw his face fall, "When you walk down the street hold your head high. Don't let them see that they get to you."

"I have nothing to hold my head high about," he muttered.

"You have a father that gave everything he had to protect you. That's more than what any other child out there had."

Bae lowered his head and she realized how harsh her words sounded.

Dear gods she wished she would think before she talked.

"Baelfire, look at me."

He reluctantly raised his gaze

"You do know that no matter what people say…and what you've heard…you do know that this isn't your fault, don't you?"

"He changed because of me."

"And he made that decision to go as far as he did. That's not on your head, that's on his, son."

Bae looked away, "He's so different, now. He pretends that he isn't, but he is. He thinks it'll all go back to normal but…I don't think he knows what to do with his power now."

"Yes Baelfire. I know."

"Did you love him?"

The question and sudden subject change made her look up, "What?"

"Did you love my father?"

She bit the inside of her cheek; she knew where this was leading up to, "When I married your father. I loved him with everything I had."

"Didn't you love me?"

"You were my son. Of course I loved you."

"Then why did you leave?" he demanded angrily.

She lowered her head in shame. She heard the hurt and anger in her son's words and wished that she could jump 14 years back in the past and do it all over again.

"Because I was an idiot," She left the bread and moved to sit next to her son, "Bae…I could never hope to excuse what I did. I know that I have a lot that I need to make up for. And I'm so sorry, Bae. Please forgive me."

"You could've come back."

"Your father deserved better than me," she told him honestly and wiped a tear from her face, "I regretted the choice as soon as I made it."

"Well you're back now."

"Yes. I'm back now," she said with a wry smile, "For better or for worse."

"I just wish it was willing."

She felt her heart break at her son's resignation, "Oh Bae."

She put her hand around her son's shoulders and pressed her lips on the top of his head, she knew that there was no going back at what she was going to say next, "I won't stay for your father. But I give you my word that I won't leave as long as you're here."

"You don't want to be here,"

"But that has nothing to do with you. I'll stay for you. I'll make this right somehow. I'll make up for what I've done. And we'll find a way to change him back."

"What's going on?"

She froze at the telltale snake voice that her husband had adopted for his new identity and immediately averted her gaze so that she wasn't looking into what used to be his brown eyes.

"We were just talking, papa."

She could feel his gaze on her but she didn't look up.

"Well it's nice to see that your mother's adjusting to her homecoming rather nicely."

"Bae," she said and cleared her throat, "Why don't you take the dough inside and then get some water from the well."

Baelfire looked between them and when his father jerked his head to the house Bae stood and did what he was told.

"You beg his forgiveness but you've barely said anything to me," he pointed out.

"Well," she stood and finally looked into those eyes that reminded her of a snake's, "Perhaps when you turn back towards the man that I left behind and not the man that kidnapped me then I'll consider it."

She turned and gave him nothing. She walked away with her head held high.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

It had taken a little while but Dawn being pregnant had finally sunk in for Gold.

He was going to be a father again. Bae was going to have a sibling. Up until now, he hadn't really thought about it…he hadn't let himself consider it because he hadn't planned for this.

And now he cared about his wife and now he was going to be a father.

If about four and a half months, he would be holding his son or daughter and he didn't know whether or not that idea scared or excited him.

He was going to give that child the world if he or she asked for it.

Their child was going to be spoiled rotten.

He sort of hoped it would be a daughter this time. A son…a daughter…one of each. He could raise this child in a way that he wasn't able to do with Bae. He could give it everything he wanted while retaining at least some of his humanity so that the child could have a father.

And after he'd turned into the dark one, he knew that any chance of having a child was over. Evil wasn't born, it was made. And since the dark one's curse and he were now inseparable, then a child couldn't be born from any union with any woman.

He was sterile and he'd given up any hope of having children in this realm when he'd decided to exact his revenge on Dagian leaving him by making her married to him.

But now things were changed and she was with child.

"Emma let David go," Dawn said as they watched the fire together. Her head rested on his shoulder and their hands were intertwined. She wasn't feeling well; something in the kitchen had upset her stomach. The baby made her sensitive to all kinds of smells; it had even done that when she was pregnant with Bae.

How she got sick from the smell of Lanolin, he'd never know. It was the smell of home.

"And how do you know that, dear?" he asked and rested his head on hers. He really didn't like being involved in this Kathryn Nolan situation. Not with Dawn being pregnant but as long as Regina was walking free then his wife and child were under threat.

And Regina would hurt her too.

"Everyone knows it," she muttered, "Just because I don't have any real friends doesn't mean I don't listen to everyone's conversations around me."

"Oh, that's rude," he teased her and looked at her slightly swollen stomach. It wasn't really noticeable now unless one knew what to look for…but that wouldn't always be the case and it would just be better to get Regina out of the way and get this curse ended so he could set out to find his boy and reunite his family again.

"Is it?" she mused and rested her head on his shoulder, "Guess you didn't marry me for my manners."

As he thought about Regina, he noticed that his hand had subconsciously went over to his wife's stomach.

She looked up at him and her face shone with a glow that she'd had when she was pregnant last time and it occurred to him how much he'd missed that look of joy on her face.

He pressed his lips on her forehand and drew his arms around her.

And for a brief moment, he allowed himself to be completely happy.


	34. Chapter 34

**Once Upon A Time**

After Dagian promised Bae that she'd stay for him, it felt like things had changed in the household. Bae treated her more warmly now. He stayed with her for long hours while she got some of the household chores done and he listened to her as she talked about his grandfather and the stories he'd told her as a child.

And finally she learned what had happened that made Rumpelstiltskin what he was. They'd come to conscript Bae, and Rumpelstiltskin had been manipulated by a beggar to get control of a knife and kill this…dark one by a blade that could control him. Rumpelstiltskin had been desperate…he had to be or he would've realized that this must've been a trap. Rumpelstiltskin had succeeded and now he was…that thing.

But Bae didn't hate his father, nor was he scared of him which Dagan didn't understand. Bae was scared of his unpredictability however and the threat that he served to other people.

And Rumpelstiltskin to his credit had become incredibly more tolerant with her after her promise as well. He didn't insult her or hang her leaving over her head. He started talking to both of them at dinner and soon they found they were all talking…

It could be tense and awkward and they weren't speaking of anything of importance but at least they were all talking.

And if she was going to stay there then she'd at least like to have an estranged husband that talked to her instead of one that just outright ignored and insulted her.

So they entered their little...family relationship. IT wasn't healthy and she didn't trust Rumpelstiltskin as far as she could throw him after he brutally killed Dauis but it was a relationship and it was far better than the one that they'd had almost a month ago.

* * *

><p>Dagian shivered as the sleet pounded against her relentless and the wind nearly blew her over, she wrapped the dark brown cloak around her for warmth and forced herself to endure the last few steps into the main cabin<p>

They were entering the worst part of winter. Her father had told her of her memories of the times he was stationed in the mountains for a year and it was one of the most horrible winters ever recorded. This winter was mild compared to what he'd seen but it was one of the worst she'd ever faced.

She turned as soon as she entered the door and forced it closed; she took off her cloak and hung it up. She wished her husband would listen to her and build a back door so that she could get in easier. Especially during now. They weren't verbally or emotionally battling as much now that she promised Bae that she would stay but it could still be tense. She would bring it up again but she doubted he'd do it.

"Ah, darling there you are."

The hair on the back of her neck stood up at the term of endearment and she turned. There were three men standing in front of her husband. One noble and two servants by the look of the clothes. Bae stood off to the side, and chopped vegetables for dinner. She watched him for any sign of trouble but he didn't give her any indication that these men were here to hurt them.

Rumpelstiltskin gave her that eerie smile that almost made it seem like he was fond of her and held out his hand towards her, "May I introduce you to my wife, Dagian. "

She kept her face emotionless as she accepted her husband's outstretched hand and allowed him to pull her to his side.

"Gentlemen," she greeted. If it wasn't for her own position of being trapped here with her son then the baffled and horrified looks on their faces as they no doubt imagined them consummating the relationship.

"Our little guest here is having an issue with his wife conceiving child. He apparently isn't the one with the difficulty," Rumpelstiltskin told her.

She understood the implication immediately. A barren wife put a king in a very vulnerable position. If he couldn't conceive an heir then it opened the door for several other candidates to take the throne.

"Can you heal her?" the man demanded.

"Oh no dearie, I can't," he started but stopped and tilted his head as if he sensed something, "Dagian darling, could you help our son?"

Bae looked up as if he were about to protest but a look from his father stopped him. Wordlessly Dagian moved next to him, she would've protested as well but she sensed some kind of urgency in his voice.

Rumpelstiltskin turned back to the men, "You don't have a wife, do you?"

Dagian looked at them in confusion.

Rumpelstiltskin's face darkened and he lowered his voice dangerously, "Who are you and why are you here?"

The man pulled out a knife and before Dagian realized what was going on, it was plunged it in Rumpelstiltskin's chest. Dagian instinctively grabbed her son by the shirt with one hand and grabbed the knife in the other and backed away from the men.

One of the servants started toward her and she froze for a second before racing towards the door with her boy in tow. The man was much faster than slammed his hand against the door as she opened it. It slammed closed and she swung the knife. The man stepped back but she caught him in the chest and abdomen. He cried out in pain and slammed his fist hard against her face. She collided with her son and then her head connected hard with the table. Lights danced before her eyes. The one grabbed her by the collar of her dress and pulled her off her son and she hit the floor again. She tried to crawl away, but the soldier grabbed a handful of her dress, forced her on her back and straddled her with a dagger in his hand.

"Forgive me," he whispered and changed his hold on the knife so that he could slit her throat, "We have our orders."

Rumpelstiltskin grabbed the man's head from behind and twisted it so hard that it snapped. She held her breath as he pulled the body off her and didn't release it until Bae was at her side.

"Are you alright?" Rumpelstiltskin asked and then looked at the bodies that littered the floor.

"I'm fine," she pulled away from him and stumbled back. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she was shaking so badly that she wasn't sure that she could stand upright for very long

"Dagian!"

"I'm fine!" she shouted a little more forcefully than she should have.

"You've hurt your head," Rumpelstiltskin moved her toward one of the chairs; "You need to sit down."

She let him sit her down and put her head in her hands. She could feel blood by her temple and cringed because her husband noticed it as well.

He hovered his had above the wound and she pushed it away. She didn't want him using magic on her, "No."

"Just let me-"

"No!" she said more forcefully.

Rumpelstiltskin frowned and turned to his son, "Attend your mother, I'll take care of this."

She didn't move until her son was at her side, "Mother."

She grabbed his arm and checked him over, "Are you hurt?"

"No," he put something from a green bottle on the cloth and pressed it against her head, "Papa was there."

"If it wasn't for him then it wouldn't have even happened," she said bitterly.

"Maybe," Bae said slowly as if he was thinking of the right thing to say, "But he did show concern for you. He hasn't done that since he brought you here."

Dagian kept her eyes trained stubbornly ahead of her. Bae was a child, he didn't understand.

He didn't understand.

* * *

><p>Dagian spent the next couple of hours soothing Bae till he finally asleep. And even then, that was fitful and so she stayed up there with him in the loft with a heavy wool shawl wrapped around her frame. Bae liked the chill and claimed it helped him sleep. She didn't understand that, she liked it being warm and that's why there was a part of her that actually enjoyed sleeping in the main cabin because it WAS actually much warmer.<p>

When she was certain that her son was asleep, she allowed herself to cry in both fear and relief. She kept her sobbing as quiet as possible as not to wake Bae but now that entire she could think about was how close they came to dying.

"Darling."

She tensed. It wasn't mocking this time, and her hair didn't stand up on the back of her neck and she saw his concern in his eyes.

She wiped the tears from her face, and felt her face become emotionless "Is it done?"

He sat on his son's bedside and rested his hand on the boy's head, "There were two others on the road waiting for them.

She saw that despite his dry appearance, his clothes were soaked and she see bits of frozen rain melting.

He looked at his son and she could see the loyalty and love he had for the boy, "They've been taken care of."

"Good," she stood and moved to the ladder.

When she reached the bottom, she heard her son and husband whispering together. A minute or so passed and she heard her husband climb down the ladder, "He'll be sleeping for the rest of the night."

"You shouldn't use magic on our son."

"He wasn't going to sleep tonight darling, you know that. I figured at least one of us should."

She looked down and realized that some of the blood from her head wound had dripped down her face earlier and onto her dress.

The faint smell of blood and the constrictions of the dress became too much and she ripped at the laces in the back in an attempt to get it off. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't think, she just wanted it off.

"Dagian," Rumpelstiltskin grabbed her wrists, "Stop."

"Get this off me," she demanded.

"Alright," he waved his hand and the laces of the dress disappeared, she pulled it off and threw it in the fire.

The chill of the room swept up her arms but she welcomed it.

Her husband wrapped the long heavy shawl around her underdress and corset, "You're in shock dearie. You need to stay warm

She shot him a look that she was certain told him everything that she was thinking. Was this something that they had to look forward to when he was dealing? What if they came after Bae? What if next time they weren't so lucky and he wasn't home?

He put his hand on the undamaged side of her face, "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"No."

The fire brightened a little as the remains the dress fell further down the pit.

"You told me that our family wouldn't be hurt if we stayed with you," she accused

"I know."

"You were wrong."

"I can see that," he placed his finger against the wound and examined it to see that there wasn't blood, "It's not so bad dearie. It'll bruise for a little while, maybe it'll scar but it will hardly be noticeable."

"Well add it to the list," she whispered and went to sit on his bed. Sitting everywhere else would've been closer to where the bodies had been.

She noticed that his hands trembled slightly as he watched her, "Goodnight dearie."

He moved to kiss her cheek and she turned her head and caught his lips with hers. She knew she was risking a lot with how violent he was and his temper, and she knew that she would regret it. She knew it wasn't going to be like it had been when he was human.

This…wasn't going to be making love.

She didn't care though. She just didn't want to be alone tonight.

He returned the kiss briefly and then pulled back as soon as he registered what they'd done, and searched her face, "You know this is a bad idea, dearie."

"I know."

She felt his hand move from her shoulder to the back of her head and for a second she was worried that he'd give her the same treatment that he'd given the man that attacked them.

But he pulled her toward him and brought her lips to hers. The hunger and need that she could almost taste in the gesture shocked her and she almost changed her mind but she could tell that his need to forget what happened for almost a brief instant was almost as much as hers.

He kept his mouth on hers and without looking towards the curtain, gestured for it to close with his hand.


	35. Chapter 35

**Once Upon A Time**

Dagian watched the candle on the stand against the wall burn down till it was absolutely nothing. The curtain stayed closed but she could see some of her surroundings because of the window.

The night passed but Dagian didn't sleep. Her husband lay next to her. Their backs were turned to each other. He'd tried snuggling behind her but both had reached an unspoken agreement that it just didn't feel right and he'd moved back to the opposing side of the bed. By the sound of his breathing, she knew he was awake as well. Gods knew what was going through his mind but he seemed as equally uneasy and confused as she did.

This wasn't supposed to have happened. She was his prisoner and a mother; she most certainly wasn't his wife.

She wasn't meant to feel safe when he took her in his arms last night. She wasn't meant to almost feel grateful that he was with her of all people. It wasn't supposed to be satisfying to lie next to him after they'd collapsed against the bed together in exhaustion from 'connecting' after what they'd experienced.

She tried to make sense of the feelings that were racing through her mind but she realized that she wasn't any closer to a solution than she had been when they started. Then what was that supposed to have been? A moment of weakness. It had to be. Neither one could allow for it to become something more. They would just most certainly hurt each other again.

And she couldn't blame him for this one. She'd been the one to initiate what happened last night. He'd just obliged her. What better way to humiliate her than to get her in his bed as a wife?

Or what if he did care? What if there were feelings there that both still had? She knew that Rumpelstiltskin was capable of love. She'd seen him dote on Bae constantly, but she did not want to be the object of his affection. It was never going to be like it was.

What happened now?

The sunlight hit the window and as if that were his cue, Rumpelstiltskin threw the comforter back and started getting dressed.

She swallowed the weight in her chest and sat up as well.

He glanced at her, "You look like you got as much rest as I did. Add that to what's already going to be a long day…"

"What do we do?"

"Well, I suppose we'll do what we normally do. I'll spin and take care of business, this time away from the house. And you'll watch Bae and manage the house while I'm gone."

That wasn't what she meant and he knew it, "We can barely manage the son we have."

He turned sharply at her implication and the anger dissolved into a kind of sadness, "Evil isn't born dearie. And since I'm under the dark one's curse I don't think you'll have to worry. This curse has had a hundred hosts and it's never happened. You won't conceive."

Her hand went to the bruise forming on her shoulder and she averted her gaze from him and stared at the wall to keep from panicking at the idea that she would actually consider being with him again.

She wouldn't deny that last night hadn't been a good idea. And maybe she'd underestimated just what she was getting into. When he was with her…she couldn't deny that there was a dark dangerous passion they'd explored that night, and she didn't ever want to explore that side of herself again. But she also couldn't deny that there was such tenderness to his touch last night that almost reminded her of how it used to be.

She was aware that he was watching her for her reaction.

She looked at him in a way that both expressed her desire and told him they couldn't cross that line again, "Rumpelstiltskin, I want to but I _can't." _

"Don't worry dearie," he said and there was a hint of anger and disappointment in his voice, "It was just a once. You have your reason for being here, and I have my reason for keeping you here and that's the end of it and I don't ask for anything more. Nothing between us will change."

She jumped when he pulled the curtain open and the chill of the house hit her hard, plunging her back into reality.

"Get dressed," he told her, "Bae will be awake soon."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Gold turned from his place on the bed and nudged his wife, "Dawn?"

"What?" she asked in annoyance...

"I'm thinking of defending Ms. Blanchard."

Dawn hated it when he did this. Wait till she was almost asleep and then drop bombshells like this on her to get her awake again.

She didn't open her eyes, maybe if she tried to pretend that she didn't care then he'd leave her alone, "That's nice honey."

"I don't think you heard me," he pulled himself up to her and kissed her cheek, "Mrs. Blanchard is being accused of murder and I'm going to represent her."

He wasn't going to leave her alone, was he? "And why would you do that? She doesn't have money, she's a teacher."

"Why wouldn't I? I think she's innocent and thanks to my studies in law it is my moral duty that I assist her."

"Since when has morality ever affected what you did?" she asked, trying to keep the monotone sleepy voice that would hopefully give him a clue.

"It usually doesn't," he ran his hand over her swelling stomach, "Ask me why I'm going to do this."

"I'm pretty sure I just did," she muttered, "But I'm guessing that it has something to do with Regina because that's the only reason you do anything that doesn't involve getting money."

She could hear his disappointment she she'd guessed in his next sentence, "Well…her and our fearless distract attorney."

She lifted her head and turned over to face him, he smirked when he saw that he had her attention and she swore that he wasn't going to have any more husbandly privileges as long as she was pregnant for doing this to her, "What do you have against Mr. Spencer? Didn't you used to go golfing with him?"

"Only because he used to pay for lunch but otherwise I found his personality to be void and his temperament to be unpredictable and his hunger for justice to be…nonexistent."

"You could've told me this before I spent years having dinner with his wife just because I thought you two were friends."

"Well I thought you two were friends and that's why I tolerated him," he pressed a light kiss against her cheek. One of the ones that he knew that she liked and Dawn wondered how long she could resist him when he pulled this.

"You do realize that you're trying to seduce me while we're talking about our district attorney."

"I have a strong stomach," he brushed his lips against her ear and she tried to give in at the feel of his breath against her ear.

"And I have work tomorrow."

"Take the morning off. I'm sure I can be persuasive to your employer considering he pays me rent."

It was tempting. She'd much rather be easing some of her tension with him instead of on her feet tomorrow but she had a feeling that if she chose the latter then he'd keep chatting excitedly about his plans and either way she wasn't going to go to sleep.

"If I say yes then you promise that you'll let me sleep afterwards?"

"On don't pretend like I'm alone in wanting this, you've been giving me that look all day."

She sighed, he was right. It had been three days since they'd last gotten intimate and she was starting to feel a little lonely. It was ridiculous that now that they decided to actually try to have a relationship that their drive slowed down.

Maybe the pregnancy had something to do with that too.

She might as well get what she could now because with him remembering he was a lawyer and her getting more and more pregnant she doubted that they'd have much time for it later.

"I better get breakfast in bed in the morning," she grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him in for a kiss.


	36. Chapter 36

**Once Upon A Time**

Dagian spent the morning away from the village. She didn't want to see anyone, least of all her son.

She shouldn't feel this ashamed spending the night with her husband. He was her _husband _for the sake of the gods and the only reason she hated herself was because of his curse and how it changed him.

Well that should be reason enough in her mind. She'd seen him hurt people. Not just Dauis or the assassins but other villagers over things that he found perfectly justifiable.

He told her it wouldn't mean anything but they both knew that it wouldn't be the case.

Her hand went to her stomach as she was thinking about what he said. She wouldn't conceive. Nothing to bind them except for the son they already had and the fact that they had to look at each other every single day and she had to work in that house.

She couldn't…just sit there. She needed to talk to him. They needed to figure out where exactly it was that they stood.

"Mom?"

She looked up from her spot in the lily field and then looked back at the dead grass.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked.

"You left pretty early this morning, I thought-," he took a breath and then looked conflicted, "You didn't sleep in your room last night."

She looked at him, that was most certainly none of his business, "Watch your mouth, son."

He looked hesitant and then his face changed into a grim protectiveness that she saw so rarely in him, "Don't hurt him again."

"Bae-"

"No one told me what happened to him when you left," He said, "But I do know that it cut him deeply when you left. He never trusted anyone again. He thinks…well everyone else said it, but he thinks that you left him in disgust."

She tensed, "Bae- No."

Bae looked hurt, "Mom, I am not a child. I know that no matter what happened between you two last night, there is little chance that I will see you together. However, I think the both of you should talk.

Dagian put her son next to her, and she explained to him that it was her own fault and her own shame that she left. Not anything she felt towards her husband.

That night when Rumpelstiltskin finally came home, he wordlessly sat in the chair opposite of her from the fireplace.

"Is Bae asleep?" he asked.

She nodded, "An hour ago."

"And you're still here in the cabin."

She didn't look up at him; maybe it was her imagination that she detected some hope in his voice, "It didn't seem right to leave the boy alone until you came home."

"Oh."

She looked at him, might as well get this out now "Rumpelstiltskin-."

"Don't Dagian," he warned, "It was a very long day and I'm very tired."

"I don't wish to talk about _that," _she said quickly, "Although gods know that we should. But I want you to know that I never left because I was disgusted with you. I was disgusted with myself. I never hated you then."

HE kept his face expressionless, "And now?"

"I don't know," she admitted, "Still trying to work that out."

"Well, while you're figuring it out, you should take it into consideration that I won't change. No matter how I wish it was possible sometimes, it isn't."

"Sometimes?" she repeated.

He smiled wryly, "Having this much power is intoxicating Dagian. If you knew what it was like…you understood my position."

"Oh gods, may it never come to that," she stood, "Goodnight Rumpelstiltskin."

He sat back and watched the fire as she left, "Well, at least we're talking."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Dawn walked into the grocery store and grabbed a basket without even looking. She was starting to memorize where everything was in this store. She needed to find a way to get these cravings under control before she started cleaning out the entire store whenever she got hungry.

She grabbed a large bar of chocolate and threw it in the basket, cinnamon rolls sounded good too. So did strawberries and grapes…

She went to the back of the store and threw a couple of cans in the basket. She would've gone to the bakery but her boss wasn't apt to waking up at one in the morning just because she wanted something hot and fresh.

And she certainly wasn't going to get up at two in the morning to make them fresh either. She had a life.

She passed some fruit and tried to remember if they had any fruit in the fridge or not.

She picked up a cantaloupe and smelled it. It wasn't exactly the season for it but she imagined she could do something with it. Her husband enjoyed cantaloupe, she should cut it up for him for dinner.

Something fell behind her and she turned to see a tall dark man picking up something that he'd knocked over from the shelf.

This must've been the stranger that she'd heard so much about.

An orange rolled by her foot and she picked it up.

The stranger walked over and accepted it from her, "Thank you m-…Mrs. Gold."

She didn't question how he knew her name. He'd been in town long enough to know who she was.

She even been awakened a couple of times at the sound of his motorcycle in the early hours of the morning too. They were practically neighbors now.

"You're welcome," she nodded and realized that he wouldn't stop staring at her, "Um…can I help you with something?"

His eyes fell on her stomach, "You're pregnant?"

She smiled and instinctively her hand went to her stomach, "Yes, I suppose I'm really starting to show?"

He looked at her as if he wanted to tell her something but then decided against it, "Are you alright?"

She looked at him in confusion, "Yes…why wouldn't I be?"

"I just…some people around town have been talking about how difficult it's been for you to get pregnant."

She felt defensive all of a sudden, "Well they were wrong."

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Mrs. Gold. I just wanted to congratulate you."

She nodded curtly, "Thank you."

She started to walk off and he followed her, "Would you like someone to walk you home?"

"I'm fully capable of walking, Mr. Booth."

"Someone should carry your groceries for you."

She stopped and sighed, "Really? You're going to pull that card?

"Trust me Mrs. Gold the last thing on my mind is wanting to hit on you. I just want to make sure that you get home safely."

"I don't even know you

"Well you seem to trust me anyway given that you're still talking to me," he gave her a satisfied smile, "Doesn't seem like many others can say the same."

Dawn couldn't help but admit that she liked him. He seemed quite proud of himself and she had to admit that she enjoyed his audacity.

And she was desperately in need of some company. Sometimes the loneliness hit her hard and staring at him sort of reminded her of how alone she felt sometimes.

"Well," she sighed, "Gentlemen are all but obsolete; I suppose I can let you walk me."

"You are aware that people will talk?" he told her as she set up her basket on the counter.

"They do little else," she said and pulled out her wallet

* * *

><p>August stayed glued to Dawn's side as they walked down the street towards her house. He carried her bag which annoyed her because she was perfectly capable of doing it herself but he talked her into it because he thought he was a gentleman and it just wouldn't feel right that she had to carry her own grocery bag while he walked with his hands free.<p>

"Is the baby healthy so far?" August asked, finally breaking the silence.

She instinctively closed her coat a little more over her stomach and nodded, "Yes, so far it's fine."

"You shouldn't hide it," he said, "Considering you're practically glowing, I would think you would be shouting your pregnancy from the rooftops."

"Because it's none of anyone's business," she snapped, "And if I announce my pregnancy then I have to deal with a million people offering me their congratulations when they would barely talk to me beforehand. It's the hypocrisy of society and I just don't want to deal with them."

He smirked in amusement, "I can see how your blunt attitude had made you a lot of friends."

"I keep people at a distance, they keep me at a distance and we're all happier that way."

"Are you?"

She blinked, "What?"

"Are you happy?"

She swallowed and lowered her head. No one had asked her that before except for Archie and her husband and she knew exactly what to tell them to get them off her back.

"Some days I question if I am," she told him honestly. She didn't know why she was opening up to him, she just did. Maybe it was a long time coming and she was just waiting for the right person to talk to, "But then I think about what happiness is. What makes people happy? It's when they're safe and secure and they have the life that they want and I have all that so I must be happy. I don't' live under anyone's pity anymore, I have a husband that I care about and a baby on the way. I have everything I could possibly want. So therefore I must be happy."

"Care about? What about love?"

She scoffed, "I tell my husband that I love him not but we both know there's no such thing."

"You're wrong, Mrs. Gold."

"If love existed then why is the world getting worse every day?" she challenged, "Why is the divorce rate so high if people loved each other like they said they do? What we're talking about is a concept, not an actuality "

"People believe in a form of love but they don't want to open their eyes to true love."

"Oh true love, now there's a bigger joke."

"You're such an optimist."

"How can there be true love when people die left and right?" she asked again. She'd been hearing these people talk about this kind of stuff for years and now it just came pouring out, "What happens if your true love falls off a cliff before you even meet them? Is there another true love waiting for you? It can't, because there can only be one, right? Or is anyone that you marry after that just doomed to a life of mediocrity because you'll never meet your true love because they're dead."

"You've taken some time to think about this, haven't you?"

"It used to keep me up at night," she replied, "and then I started getting dark circles under my eyes and I kept falling asleep at the computer and during dinner. Let's just say that that stopped when I was having oatmeal."

"Well, I don't claim to have any answers Mrs. Gold but I have traveled the world and I can tell you that the things I've seen…I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that love exists."

"I guess we'll have to agree to disagree then," she sighed tiredly, "Because with the things I've seen and the things I've experienced I have to wonder if love exists in a world so corrupted by evil."

"You'll love your child won't you?"

"That's not the same."

"Well if that love exists then why can't others?"

"Because I haven't seen proof of it."

"And here I heard that things were getting better for you and your husband and the way you treat each other. Aren't you both trying to learn to love the other? How can you do try something that you don't believe exists?"

"Because I keep hoping I'll be wrong. And unfortunately because my husband and I are near impossible people to love then I don't think that'll ever happen."

August stopped in front of her house and wrapped his arms around her shoulders in an embrace, "Love exists. You just haven't found it yet."

She tensed at the sudden move but didn't pull away. She was good at reading people and understanding their emotions through gestures and interactions. He wasn't hitting on her nor was the embrace meant to be anything near sexual or anything near romantic. It reminded her of her son when he embraced her for the first time…

She pulled away and shook her head as if to clear it. SheWAS tired. She didn't have a son. Where did that even come from?

"I have to go," she whispered and winced when she felt pain in her stomach.

"Are you alright?" he asked and she could detect a panic in his voice.

Pain laced around her back and hips and she shook her head, "I think something's wrong."


	37. Chapter 37

**Once Upon A Time**

After that night, the dreams came.

And in those dreams, she often found herself trapped on the floor as the events from that night played in front of her eyes. Except this time it was different, they weren't saved. Most times she watched as her son was killed before her eyes while she was frozen on the floor, unable to move.

And with those dreams usually came her husband shaking her awake.

Two weeks after the night she spent with him, the hardest dream hit her. She didn't know how to explain it other than to say that it felt so real…she felt the wooden floor under her, she felt her nails breaking as she clawed the floor to reach her boy…

And then she finally pulled herself out of the terror to see her husband shaking her awake. His fingers dug painfully into her arms and she knew he would probably leave bruises in the morning.

"My _gods,_ woman," He said, his voice heavy with what sounded like concern, "It was near impossible to wake you up, are you-."

She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. He grimaced at the impact, but immediately wrapped his arms around her.

"You're safe," he promised her.

She shivered in fear against him and let him rub her back. It was soothing and reminded her of how he used to hold her when she suffered from nightmares when he was human.

She pulled back and saw fresh scratches on his face. She reached out to touch them but he pulled away, "I'm alright dearie. You just put up a fight when I try to wake you."

A bit of shame filled her and she looked down.

"This is nothing though," he promised her, "Do you want to know why the healers didn't come around as much after you were first brought here 15 years ago? Because during one of your nightmares you grabbed a knife and attempted to attack one of them."

"OH for heaven's sake, I did not."

"You did so!" he said, "It was welcome though, they hardly let me in my own house when they were tending to you! Maybe that's when I fell in love with you."

"You didn't realize you loved me till the day I proposed," she muttered.

"Well, just because I wasn't aware of it doesn't mean that I didn't fall in love with you," he shrugged.

"Well I hope you loved me for reasons other than I drove people away from your house," she whispered.

He looked hurt, "Of course I did."

She moved so that she was sitting next to him on the edge of her bed.

A second of silence passed before he sighed, "I wanted to give you so much when we married."

"You gave me enough."

"No I didn't," he scoffed.

She flinched, "Why I left was never your fault."

"Yes it was," he rubbed his eyes, "I could've stood up for you, I could've protected you, somehow I could've prevented you from leaving."

She wanted to tell him that preventing her would've only resulted in her wanting to leave more, but she didn't say that. It would've probably resulted in an argument and she really didn't want to damage this weird little truce that they had together.

"Sometimes I wonder how much would've changed if I had stayed," she whispered.

"Probably not much," he admitted, "There probably would've just been more children to protect. You probably wouldn't have wanted me to go as far as I did, but I wouldn't have listened. But I don't think he would've wanted you to live that long anyway."

She looked at him.

"You don't think I know about the visit that the previous dark one made to you? Of course I do darling, his memories are a part of me now. He was the one that destroyed your belongings; he was the one that made sure you'd be driven away."

"Why?"

"Because he picked me to serve in his place," Rumpelstiltskin shook his head in disgust, "Nothing would've changed if you stayed. If you had then he would've killed you."

"Why on earth would my presence have made a difference?"

"Because he knew I'd act more desperately if I only had my son left. Make no mistake dearie, there's a part of me that's still angry that you left. But there's another part of me that…knows it couldn't have been helped. IF you hadn't left then you wouldn't have survived."

She looked down. It would still be something that she'd regret for the rest of her life.

"If I asked you to, would you come back to me?" he finally asked.

She looked at him sharply, but before she could refuse, he interrupted her, "Darling, I know that we'll never be the same people that we used to be. And hoping for that will only lead to disappointment. But you and I both know that you're sick of just being our guest. Bae needs a mother-."

"I am acting as his mother."

"You spend the day with him and then you come back here for the evening, like we're visiting friends and you leave when you get bored."

"And what do you expect me to do?" she asked, "Live in the main cabin, sleep next to you, do my wifely duty and just pretend you don't hurt people when you think they've done you wrong?"

He looked hurt by her accusation but didn't protest it, "I know I'm not a good man anymore, but I did what I had to do in order to keep our son alive."

"I'm not blaming you for that Rumpelstiltskin; I just question some of the things you're doing after it happened."

"But I can be a good father," he told her, "And I could be a good husband for you, if you let me. We could be happy."

He reached out to touch her hair and she flinched involuntarily. When he pulled back, she felt embarrassed, "Rumpelstiltskin."

"It's fine," he told her and stood awkwardly, "I Know that it's a lot to process, I don't expect an answer tonight."

She was silent as he walked out of the door.

* * *

><p>No matter how she tossed and turned, she couldn't get his proposition out of her mind.<p>

She should say 'no'. She should refuse and remind him that that night was just a onetime thing, but there was a part of her that wanted to be with him again. She must've been sick in the head or something because anything else wouldn't make any sense.

If she went back to him…would it be for love? Or would it be for survival? Rumpelstiltskin wouldn't kill her if she refused him, she knew that much.

Or was it for the need of a companion? Even though she had a relationship with her son who she valued more than anything? She knew that there was a part of her that longed for something more than just toleration for the man that used to be her husband.

Maybe if she did this, she could redeem herself for leaving. Rumpelstiltskin had told her that not all of it was her fault but she still left, didn't she?"

That was on her head.

At any rate, she needed to get some sleep. He was probably half asleep too, that was why he proposed this to her in the first place.

Sometime after he left Dagian grabbed a small bag and stepped out into the mud. It'd stopped raining an hour ago but there was still a thick fog that had settled in.

She took the few steps into the main house and opened the door.

Her husband raised his head from the bed and watched as she set her bag by the door and walked into the living quarters.

Bae slept on a small cot on a second floor that Rumpelstiltskin had managed to conjure up when he was rebuilding the house.

"That was quick," he whispered when she crawled next to him, "I thought you would refuse."

"The thought occurred to me," she said and slipped between the covers, "Probably would've been easier actually."

"Then why did you come?"

"I don't know," she told him honestly, "You scare me, you and the things you can do…everything is screaming at me to turn you down on this offer because I've seen how you can be."

"And yet?"

"You've already saved my life twice since you found me," she told him, "I think that's enough of a reason for now."

He hesitated and then wrapped his arms around her; she let him kiss her gently on the cheek, "I you need to trust me. Can you please do that?"

"I'll try," she said. She couldn't distrust him anymore. She was far too tired to live in the paranoia that'd nearly killed her when she first got here. She trusted her son but she needed to start trusting this man as well because nothing would ever get accomplished if they constantly clashed and she did not want that for the rest of her time here.

Rumpelstiltskin pressed his hand against the side of her face, "Well that's a start."

* * *

><p>Bae was always awake a few minutes after the sun rose. Most children preferred to sleep in, but in all his life, he never could. Perhaps it was because papa always took him with him to work in the fields or pastures because no one else would watch him. So maybe he was used to it.<p>

Downstairs was quiet, so maybe his mother wasn't up yet. Perhaps papa left early to do whatever business he conducted. Bae really didn't want to know what he did. He had a feeling he wouldn't like it.

Quickly he pulled his clothes on and descended the ladder and what he saw stopped him in his tracks.

His father was leaning against the wall where a headboard should be. His arms were wrapped around Bae's mother who slept on his chest.

Rumpelstiltskin looked up at him as he stared, "Never thought you'd see this, did you?"

Bae was quiet, his mind tried to process what he was looking at. He never thought he'd be staring at this sight in a million years, especially when they spent their days bickering at each other.

Now he sort of knew what they looked like together even if his father wasn't himself anymore.

Papa shrugged, "Your mother had a hard night."

"Is she going to stay in here?"

"Don't know yet," he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, "Hope so. Go get your chores done outside; I don't want to wake your mother."

And Bae didn't know whether to be excited or confused or fearful that this could lead to worse things as he left the living quarters.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Sometime was wrong with the baby.

Gold brushed past doctors and volunteers as he walked as fast as his bad leg would allow him and searched the rooms frantically.

NO, this couldn't be happening. Not while things were finally going right for them.

Another child shouldn't have to pay for his sins.

IF something happened to this one, then he would never forgive himself. This was supposed to be their second chance. Had he gone so far over the line that his wife and unborn child suffered for his misdeeds?

Bae had already paid for it; these people had already paid for it although he hardly cared about them. But Dagian? She'd already paid enough. Their child? He or she shouldn't have to pay at all.

The lady at the front had told him where she was but he had hardly listened. The hospital was small enough; he knew he could locate her easily.

And he found her talking with Doctor Whale in one of the rooms. He noticed that her stomach was still swollen and he prayed that it was a good sign.

Relief washed over him and he walked into the room. Both looked up and her hand went to her stomach protectively.

"IT's okay," she told him, "It was a false alarm."

"I'll give you a…a moment alone," Dr. Whale said and passed by them.

It was everything he could to hold his posture until the door closed and he felt his emotions start to crumble at the thought of what could have happened. He felt his lip quiver slightly and he wrapped his arms around his wife before she got the chance to open her mouth. The flinch was slight, but he felt it and tightened his grip, "Are you alright?"

She nodded, "I'm fine, it was just a false alarm."

"What happened?"

"I was just walking with that Booth man and I got some sort of pain. Dr. Whale's threatening me with bed rest but he wants to keep me overnight before he makes a decision."

"No," he shook his head immediately, "No, there's nothing to be done for you here that I can't do myself at home."

"Honey," Dawn said and grabbed his hand, "I'll be fine here."

"You'll be more comfortable in our bed."

"Maybe. But if something's wrong then I want trained professionals right there to make sure."

"They're hardly qualified," he spat, but relented because this was their baby they were talking about, "Do you want me here?"

"You look like you'd rather be any other place but here right now," Dagian smiled and placed her hand on her husband's, "Go."

He studied her, "Are you sure?"

She managed a small smile and nodded, "I doubt I'll be much company when I drop off to sleep. And besides, you need to do your…whatever agenda it is for Mary Margaret and friends"

He weighed his options and placed a kiss on her forehead, "I'll be back later. Get some rest."

August waited until Gold was out of sight before he walked toward the bed that Mrs. Gold was laying in.

"I take it you didn't tell him that you remember?"

"No," she said and rested her hand on her stomach, "Not yet. I need to understand what's going on first. And you're going to tell me."


	38. Chapter 38

**Once Upon A Time**

Things seemed to change again after that night in the household. Rumpelstiltskin seemed to treat her with more far more respect and while he wasn't openly affectionate there was still enough in his eyes that she could see it.

But other than holding each other at night, they were still reluctant to touch the other one. IT was a silent mutual agreement that they weren't ready to go down that road. At least not just yet. Sometimes it was just hard enough to sleep next to him at night knowing that somewhere someone was suffering because he had punished them for a wrong. Real or imagined.

And touching him was different than what it had been fourteen years ago. She remembered him feeling…'rough' but now his skin felt almost like a snake's. He didn't smell of sweat and dirt brought on by the daily backbreaking work of their village, he smelled almost sickly sweet.

She imagined that she'd changed too but hopefully not as drastically.

Gods, she hated nights like this when she couldn't sleep and had to think about these things.

Instead she opened a curtain and watched the sky. It was so late that the rest of the village was dark and the moon only lit up a little bit of the area around the house.

She drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them and watched the sky.

Her father had tried to teach her about the stars and which constallations they belonged to, but the subject had always seemed dull. Other than knowing what way was north, what good would knowing them serve to a girl that would probably marry someone in the frontlands and raise a family there?

Other than knowing her location, they still hadn't served much good.

Maybe she could bore herself to sleep.

Rumpelstiltskin was awakened when he thought he saw a light flash when his eyes were closed. Immediately his thoughts went to his family's safety and he drew a dagger out from underneath his pillow and halfway sat up.

Dagian jumped when he turned to her, "What are you doing?"

He scanned the room to find that no one was there. The light he'd thought he'd seen was only the room. Dagian had pulled the curtain over his…their bed and was sitting there staring at the night sky.

"Nothing," he shoved the knife back under the pillow.

"Have a nightmare?" she asked.

"No," he said. He didn't dream. He didn't even need to sleep. IT was just a way to pass the time.

He laid his head back on the pillow and stared at her as she turned back to the window. She was almost pretty again. Not that she wasn't lovely when he brought her here but the fear and stress that he'd put her through as well as whatever she'd gone through those 14 years had left it's impression and while she didn't look 21 anymore, she was still nice to look at.

The moon illuminated her frame under the gown. Staying stationary and eating better was allowing her to get her figure back from the malnourished twig that she was when he brought her here. Now that they'd found some sort of…truce and way to live around each other he found that he was starting to become attracted to her again.

"I was going to be married when those men found me," Dagian said breaking the silence.

"Yes," he put his hands under his head, "I know."

"I guess being the dark one allows you to be privy to that information."

"I saw the ring in your wardrobe."

She lowered her head, "Oh."

He stared at the ceiling, he had been hoping that they would never be talking about her involvement with that recruiter but ti was bound to happen eventually, "Humor me and be honest, did you love him?"

She looked back out the window, "Yes. But he's dead now."

"I figured. I imagine you'd still be trying to escape if he was still alive, and you would've hidden the ring better. OR left it there when you were attacked in hopes that he'd find it and come for you.

She wiped the tear from her eye, "He was cut down by the same men who took me."

Rumpelstiltskin sat up, "Don't tell me that you're imagining him when you're with me dear."

"No," she shook her head, "No, I never allowed myself to…I- I never gave him the opportunity to be with him anyway…and Filib would ask if I would marry him. He asked me countless times. When he would bring me food. He would tell me when the recruiters were coming my way and he asked me to marry him because the wives of the recruiters don't get pulled into war."

"Why didn't you?"

"Sometimes I thought about it. It would've been much easier. Recruiters are paid well…have some status, a chance to survive. And then I would sit there and I would think to myself…what would happen if I became with child? And then I realized that I couldn't. I couldn't live as his new wife and carry his children when the family that I left behind lived on without their wife and mother."

"But you kept the ring."

She scooted back to his side and said bitterly, "I said yes the day that he was killed. I'm quite the bad luck charm it seems."

"What changed your mind? After years of refusing, what changed your mind?"

"I looked in the mirror one day and I saw that I was no longer the proud daughter of a general. I was a hypocrite and a coward and a vow breaker and I hated myself. I broke that bloody mirror. Threw it across the room. And then I realized that I couldn't go back to you because I could never look you in the eye after what I'd done. I called you a coward and yet I was the one that ran. I realized that with Filib then maybe I could start over. Become the woman my father raised me to be…and then I Realized that after all these years that maybe I just loved him."

She wiped another tear from her eye and shook her head slowly, "But that doesn't matter now. He was cut down from behind. He's dead and I never told him just how much I…there was a lot I wish I could tell him now."

"Would you have married him sooner if you could go back and do it again?"

"Probably not. IT still probably would've all ended the same and we'd be here. I could never forgive myself for what I did to our family. I was never happier than I was the months I spent in that little crowded bed waking up next to you. And I think that if I had married him then the next few years until those same men came for me…would've been overshadowed by me waking up every morning remembering that happiness I had when things were far simpler."

He brushed the back of his knuckle against her face. There was a part of him that would always hate her for leaving. Especially when she lived in the cowardice that she left him over. But there was another part of him that wished she were happy. That she'd been able to marry and have children. She'd barely been sick when she was pregnant with Bae, or so he'd been led to believe, and she'd been strong enough to carry him almost to term despite the heavy stress put on her. She'd given birth to Bae pretty easily as well. He remembered his father telling him that some women were made to have children and Rumpelstiltskin had firmly believed that Dagian had been one of those women he'd been talking about. It was a shame that she'd robbed herself of that for all these years and by his sterility, he was robbing it from her as well. "You and me both dearie."

He placed a light kiss on her lips and turned over to go to sleep.

**Present Day **

Waking up with no idea about what was going on was something akin to falling through the air with nothing to grab onto.

Contrary to Dagian's belief, August assured her that she wasn't dead. Just in a different land in which the only magic available was the magic that they brought over.

And several centuries had passed and she was currently married to the man who she KNEW started this whole thing and he used others to meet his goals.

August didn't know the complete details of that, she didn't think. But she put enough of it together. He was just barely able to give her the bare essentials about Charming, and Snow, and Emma and Regina and the point they all played.

It all sounded like something from a bloody fantasy novel.

But she knew that she couldn't let Gold know that she was aware. OR that she knew that he remembered as well. She didn't even want to think about what that would mean. He would probably still be quite angry that she did what she did and if he knew that she remembered her sins, then he might want to speed up his little revenge mission.

IT had to be revenge. Why else would he force her to remain married to him and keep her memories erased? While he remembered and did whatever he wanted to her for the past 28 years? 

The thought of him touching her made her sick but she knew she had to endure it for now. She didn't expect to keep him fooled for long, but she would play his game.

Although the thought of him wanting to make love to her made her stomach turn and she didn't think she would be able to keep the charade up if it came to that.

Especially since he'd more than happily taken advantage of her not remembering these past 28 years.

AT least now she could argue that it wouldn't be good for the baby now.

She rested her hand on her stomach and looked down at it. She'd gotten a memory that came to her as her pregnancy progressed, was the baby what woke her up?

The door to her room opened and her husband came into the room. She stared harder at her stomach so she didn't have to look at him. He may look an older version of the man that she married but she wasn't fooled. She recognized the vicious glint in his eyes as Rumpelstiltskin.

He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her, "I insisted that you get a private room for tonight."

"Thank you," she responded and tried to keep her voice from sounding so angry.

"You don't look like you rested."

"I didn't," she said, "IT's not my bed."

"You had the chance to go home but you refused."

Not that she wanted to return to their bed, but he didn't know that. Instead she looked at her stomach, "I'm going to look like a balloon."

He watched her carefully and pressed his lips against her stomach. His brown eyes felt like they bore through her skull and saw her soul stripped bare, "And you'll still be the most beautiful woman in Storybrooke."

She smiled but she couldn't shake the feeling that he either suspected or that he knew, "You're supposed to say that, you're my husband."

He sat down and rubbed his leg, "I was going to be here earlier, but there's been a new development in the case."

"Oh yeah?" she held her stomach and sat up. He grabbed her elbow to assist her and chills ran down her body, "What would happen so late?"

"Mrs. Blanchard is gone."

Dagian blinked, "As in…escaped? Why would she escape?" 

He nodded and sat back on the bed, "Because she's scared I'd imagine. People do some of the most nonsensical things when they're scared."

It was a warning. He knew. "Well why aren't you out looking for her?"

He shrugged and took off his jacket and tie, "That's the sheriff's responsibility, not mine."

"I figured that since you wanted to help Mary Margaret then you'd want to make sure she wasn't a fugitive," she snapped.

"And what exactly am I going to do in order to get her to come back? She only started trusting me because I was the only one with the knowledge to help her," he kicked his shoes off and laid beside her, "Our fearless sheriff has it all under control, I imagine she'll find Ms. Blanchard and keep her from leaving town."

"And if she doesn't?"

He crawled up beside her and let his head hit the pillow, "Well then Ms. Blanchard won't be the only one facing trouble if she's not back in her cell by her arraignment in the morning."

"Visiting hours are over," she said.

"I allow them to live here; they can let me sleep in the same bed with my wife."

She turned on her side to make some room and so she wouldn't have to look at him, he turned as well and rested his hand on her stomach. It wasn't something he did to make her squirm. It was more of a protective gesture. He'd done it when she was pregnant with Bae as well.

"Do you think the sheriff will find her by then?" she asked.

"I have no doubt."

Dagian settled down next to him, "I think you put too much hope in a woman that would trust Sidney Glass of all people."

"Hm," he kissed her cheek and she tried not to cringe. There was affection in the gesture. Maybe even a hint of playfulness, "How's the baby?"

"She spent the last few hours playing kickball with my bladder and that wouldn't be so bad except she was also playing cymbals with my kidneys. And I'm tired and crampy and being pregnant is so overrated."

"I'm sorry darling," his hand searched her stomach as if he was looking for a kick. "I'd massage your feet but that's frankly quite disgusting."

"Well I wouldn't want you touching my feet anyway," she curled up.

He kissed the top of her head and smiled when he felt his daughter kick him in the side, "She's going to be a strong one."

"Don't I know it? I try to make myself feel better by telling myself it's only a few more months. Then I realize I said 'months' as in plural and then I cry."

He sighed, "It wasn't supposed to be this difficult for you."

It wasn't so bad. This was easy compared to the pressure she'd been under when she carried Bae, "I can handle it though. I just wanted to complain about it for a bit."

"You're entitled to that every now and then I suppose."

A few moments of silence passed and Dagian knew he wouldn't fall asleep anything soon and neither would she, "Is Mary innocent?"

"I don't know darling."

"Yes you do," she said and stared through the window, "You know everything that goes on in this town."

HE felt his child kick him again and he was reminded immediately why he was doing this to Regina. Or at least one of the reasons, "Yes, she's innocent."

A couple of seconds of silence passed before he felt his wife adjust her position, "Good. If you can't trust Mary Margaret Blanchard of all people, then who can you trust?"


	39. Chapter 39

**Once Upon A Time**

Rumpelstiltskin knew that Dagian didn't love him. Not really. She was just trying to survive in this little game of house that they played.

He wasn't quite sure how he felt about her either. He didn't bring up her leaving anymore because she was staying now but it was something that was always on his mind. She left once; if the right button was pressed then she would leave again.

So he did his best to make both her and his son happy. He could give them everything they wanted if they just asked him.

But they didn't so he had to go with his instinct.

The morning things started to really change; he came into the cabin and rested his hands on his wife's hips.

"What do you want?" she asked while kneading bread.

"I have something for you," he whispered and slipped the box into her hands.

She recognized the box from her childhood almost immediately. A small excited gasp escaped her lips and she opened it.

"I didn't save some of your mementos," he told her guiltily, "The Dark One before me had destroyed a couple of them beyond repair but I was able to use my abilities in order to fix the ones I kept."

She picked up her mother's ring with shaking hands, "Why would you save this after I left you?"

"Because I kept praying that one day you'd come back."

The old guilt hit but she pushed it out of her mind and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. He would probably never understand how much this little gesture meant to her. Not really. This was her only link to her past and when the dark one destroyed it she thought it would be gone forever.

Emotions ran through him when he returned the gesture and held her tightly. The first thing that struck him was how she smelled like the warm bread that she'd been cooking all afternoon.

She pulled away slightly, her lips hovered slightly away from his and she looked into his eyes.

He knew immediately what she wanted and placed his hands on either side of her face, "Are you sure?"

She nodded and smiled happy, "Yes."

He mentally locked the doors. Bae would be outside attending to some chores for the day, but it was a just in case measure.

"As you wish dearie," he smiled and kissed her back.

* * *

><p>Dagian rested her head on her husband's chest and traced a finger down the scar where he'd been stabbed a month ago, "How badly did it hurt?"<p>

He brushed a knuckle down her side, ""As much as getting stabbed hurts I imagine."

"It healed though," she pressed her lips against the scar, "Almost as soon as you were attacked."

"Having this ability does have its blessings sometimes."

The very idea creeped her out but she couldn't help but find it fascinating as well, "Does this mean there's a part of you that's dead?"

He rolled over on her and she could feel his hammering heart when his chest was pressed against hers, "Does it feel like I'm dead dearie?"

"You were stabbed in the chest," she argued, "Wouldn't that technically mean you were dead?"

"Or ascended," he pointed out and brushed his lips against her jaw, "No steel can hurt me."

She didn't reply. Just the idea was all too surreal. What kind of being wasn't hurt by silver or steel?

He trailed his lips past her ear and up her face but he stopped short of the scar right below her temple. She didn't look at his expression but she could feel his anger radiating off him and his muscles shook, "They didn't suffer like they should have."

She turned her head to block the scar from his sight and felt his hand brush the hair away from her neck. He hadn't done much 'dealing' after they'd been attacked. She didn't understand why he did this dealing business it at all because he could conjure up anything they wanted but he said something about establishing connections and how it was better to have people owing them something so he could keep them under control.

But other than the dealing he tried to pretend that things would settle back down to normal. He wanted to pretend that it could be the way it was had the ogre war never happened and she stayed. He believed that people wouldn't fear him one day and would welcome his family into the village but he was in denial. Both she and Bae knew that it would never happen.

"Are you cold?" he asked and grabbed the blanket that they'd kicked off earlier during their activities.

"I'm fine," she said but she was suddenly aware of a chill in the room and shivered.

He pulled the blanket around his shoulders and wrapped them around her that they were sharing heat.

"It'll be evening soon," he whispered.

She brushed a knuckle down his neck. She knew the implications. Bae would be home and they'd lose this moment that they'd used to bond. Real life would start up again and people would fear him and shun her and her son and this…oddly bizarre beautiful afternoon they'd shared together would feel like it was a dream.

"Well," she whispered and brushed her leg down his hip, "We have some time yet."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day <strong>

The more Dagian tried to hide it, the more it confirmed the truth to Mr. Gold that she remembered everything.

Which was odd because he hadn't expected it to be like this. He had expected her to scream at him, to hit him, any other number of violent attempts were all something that he had come to expect and believe he deserved.

But she didn't resort to that, even though he wished that she had. He would've known what to expect that way. He was prepared for it Instead she continued the charade like there was nothing amiss.

But she knew. He could see it in her eyes. This wasn't Dawn who would love him and respect him for rescuing her, this was Dagian. She wasn't so easily impressed.

He would've revealed that he knew she remembered, but why should he? If she wanted to keep up the charade then he was more than willing to play her little game as well. After all, she belonged to him. Not in the truest sense of the world of course, nor was she his true love. He'd found that out the hard way. But fate kept making sure they stayed together and how many times had he saved her? More than enough. In the Realms, she would owe him a life debt and that meant that in this world or the next, she was his.

However, he was far more lenient to her than most men in his position would be. He knew that for certain, he'd seen plenty of them.

Her silence was like a personal challenge to him. For the safety of her and the baby he would play this game of her's. He was worried that if he blew it now then she'd leave and Regina would target her. He would oblige her for now, but Regina knowing who he was certainly complicated everything.

He also took her remembering far better than he thought he would. There was a part of him that expected to panic that his life was now crumbling out from under him but he remained as calm as she did.

When he got home, she was asleep. She'd been released that morning and he had been able to get her home right before having to attend the arraignment. He had been reluctant to leave her alone, especially with Regina lurking around. However, he knew that Dagian wouldn't rest if he was near her and she needed to for the sake of the baby. She would need time to try and process what was happening.

So he made sure she was safe in the bed. And he told her he loved her and wondered if he really did or not. If anything it was interesting to watch her squirm as she repeated the phrase and he kissed her on the cheek and went to work.

She didn't protest that he went to work and left her alone. He didn't expect her to anyway.

The arraignment came and went and he returned home. Dagian was in so deep a sleep that she didn't wake when he changed clothes and slipped into bed next to her.

It'd been a rough night in the hospital for him too. How did people sleep in those beds?

Half an hour passed and he stared at his wife. She was far prettier as "Dawn." The way her eyes lit up almost reminded him of when they were first married and she didn't a care in the world.

As Dagian she was far more world weary and most of that was his fault. He brushed a knuckle against her cheek.

Dagian remembered. How was he supposed to feel about that?

He waited for feelings of anger to come and satisfaction that his plan of revenge was pretty much complete. But he couldn't summon it. All he felt now was guilt for what he'd put her and Baelfire through and how he'd shoved them away until it was too late.

He had to atone for what he'd done to her. For this little revenge scheme that would only benefit him by watching her be humiliated.

Dagian whimpered in her sleep and he put a hand on her arm. She settled down but he saw her face scrunch up from whatever nightmare she was having. His other hand found her stomach and she unconsciously moved closer to him

AS he waited for sleep to take him, he tried to figure out a way to atone for what he'd done.


	40. Chapter 40

**Once Upon A Time**

Dagian hated laundry.

She knew that she could ask her husband to handle it for her but she also knew that having him conjure a clean household would just render her being bored.

But it sounded quite good after the second hour of the backbreaking work. By the time she was done, her hair was soaked from the middle down because the braid kept slipping over her shoulder and falling in the tub of bubbly water.

And judging by Bae's expression, her increasing frustration was the funniest thing that he'd seen since before she'd arrived.

"It's almost like we're a family again," Bae said as he tried to fix a ball that his father had made for him.

Dagian was quiet as she worked. Was that what they were? They shared a bed and she'd performed her wifely duties a few times but did that mean that they were somewhere near where they had been?

She didn't know and neither did he. She'd asked about it a few times but he didn't really comment on it. He seemed satisfied to try and just drift and figure it out as they went. Dagian couldn't say that she was on board with that idea but what could she do to change it?

Maybe he was nervous, maybe he thought if they actually tried to commit then it'd shatter this semi-accepting relationship that they had together.

Maybe he had a point and just accepting the 'here' and 'now' was the best way to go.

"Mom?" he asked. He'd stopped calling her 'mother' after she'd shielded him from those men the night they came to kill them, "If I found a way to change papa back, would you stand behind me?"

She didn't look up, "I thought it wasn't possible."

"But how do we know that? How do we really know that? The only one that's ever told us that was papa and if it comes to losing the power, you know he won't tell the truth.

"Does your father know that you're planning this?"

Bae looked down, "Not yet."

"you know we can't force him to change back if he doesn't want to change back," she said, remembering that day in the road when he'd saved her from the men and then she remembered what he was capable of if angered.

But that didn't seem to mean the same fate for either her or her son, right?

"Yes," Bae looked defeated but determined, "I know."

She grabbed his chin and forced her to look at him. She saw so much of his father in him but at the same time there was an innocence that she wanted to protect, "Only if it doesn't harm either him or you Bae. That's the only way I'll help you."

He watched her and smiled in relief. And she felt her heart break at the gesture. Did he think that she wouldn't want the old version of her husband back?

They were content now, but they certainly weren't happy. She didn't think that they would ever reach that part of their relationship as long as he did what he did to the other villagers.

She could turn a blind eye and she did do it on frequent occasion but it was still in the back of her mind. She'd spent months trying to make sure he didn't kill or hurt her and now that she was guaranteed to live then she was going to start working on having him show mercy

Which was easier said than done due to his hair trigger temper towards the people that he thought had wronged him.

"Dagian," she heard her husband's snakelike voice hiss her name and she looked over her shoulder to see her husband standing over her with a blonde girl that Dagian immediately noted was pretty and younger than her.

"Are you replacing me?" she asked and then watched as the girl paled and looked at him in panic and fear.

"Enora will be handling some of your chores from here on out, dearie," he said and then grinned mischievously, "But don't worry; some of our more exciting duties will still belong to you."

The girl shot her a scared look and then focused on the ground.

Dagian stood and glared, "And what exactly is it that you think I should spend the day doing?"

He shrugged, "Whatever you want, dearie. I just don't think you should be worrying about menial chores anymore.

She shook her head; her husband kept talking about how things would settle back down to normal but how was it going to settle back down to normal if he kept exerting his authority like this?

She just barely noticed her husband take her hand in his and examine it, "Your hands were healing so nicely."

Dagian looked down at her cracked chapped hands and watched as he healed them.

"Rumpelstiltskin, I don't want her here," Dagian snapped.

"Nonsense," he said and she knew that would be the end of it, "I won't have these abilities and have this power and watch you work yourself to death. You've had to do that plenty of times and I refuse to let you do it again."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Dr. Whale had threatened Dagian with bedrest if she didn't take it easy.

Rumpelstiltskin had taken that to mean that she WOULD go on bedrest and if she left the porch then he'd probably have an aneurysm or something.

She wondered if she should reveal that she knew. Now that she knew he was willing to play her game she wasn't sure how far she wanted to carry this. Her husband was an amazing actor who could pretend that he was Mr. Gold to the minutest facial twitches. He still held her hand, he still gave her in-jokes and he still kissed and hugged her. He pretended to be the doting husband and father of their little bundle of joy to be but she knew he knew. In his eyes she saw that patient calculating look that he had when he was Rumpelstiltskin.

What was she going to do?

She poured over her options while she sat on the porch rocking chair with a blanket over her stomach. How could it still feel so cold out here?

"Still hiding that belly?"

Dagian looked up to see August standing next to her, "Well the wrong person could drive by or walk by..."

"Most have guessed you're going to have a baby."

"Still," she adjusted her position, "I don't want to advertise by bowling ball belly."

"It's hardly that bad," he argued.

She didn't want to discuss it with him, "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to make sure you're alright."

"I'm fine," she said quickly."

"He hasn't hurt you?"  
>'<p>

"He's not that inelegant when it comes to revenge I suppose," she said.

He looked uncertain, "If you asked me, I would get you out of here."

She looked at him, "And where would we run? There's a barrier for people like me, I can run all I want to but I'm not going anywhere. And it's not like he's hurt me-"

"He will."

Her patience was thin and she wasn't in the mood for his vagueness, "And what would you know about it?"

He stared at her, eagerness in his eyes, "Have the years really changed me that much?"

She looked up sharply and felt the air leave her lungs. There was no possible way that it…August could be her son.

But he bore such a strong resemblance.

However it was too easy. How did he know where they were? How did he find them?

That didn't matter though, he was here! She thought she'd lost him forever when Rumpelstiltskin released him that night.

Dagian started shaking slightly as he knelt by her chair, his eyes searched hers.

She could barely get his name out, "Bae?"

His eyes filled with tears and he smiled, "It's been a long time, mother."

Dagian let out a small cry and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Rumpelstiltskin could do whatever he wanted to do to her but it was okay. She wasn't alone anymore.

Her son was here.


	41. Chapter 41

**Once Upon A Time**

Dagian was bored.

Enora took most of the household duties from Dagian and Dagian used her newfound energy seducing her husband but other than their nightly activities she spent the next two days in a complete mind-numbing daze.

It did give her some more time to spend with her boy though but she tried not to take too much of his time. He was already alone and she was worried that if everyone saw him with his mother too much then it'd just make things worse for him.

But if not her, then Bae would be with his father and she thought that made it worse. She watched their relationship suffer for the past few months that she'd been with them. Rumpelstiltskin was getting worse in his temper and behavior.

And while she could take Bae's side, she saw her husband suffering from their rift as well.

"I don't know what to do," he whispered one afternoon that they'd been able to get to themselves while Bae played outside, "I did this for him and I think that he understands that but I just can't…I can't reach him anymore."

She took his hand. He often showed her a false bravado and often pushed her away. Especially when he had done something and he was trying to justify it. But she valued these times when he opened the door and truly showed that there were parts of him that were still vulnerable.

There were parts of him that were still her husband.

HE ran a knuckle down her bare back, "What can I do?"

Not murdering people might be a start, but she didn't say anything. She wasn't going to start a fight with him, she was far too tired and he was not in the frame of mind to do so.

"Do you want him to be happy?"

"More than anything," he said.

She sat up and held the blanket to her chest. She felt as self-conscious as he did about her outer appearance, "He wants to change you back,"

Rumpelstiltskin's face darkened, "He wants to what?"

"He wants his father back," she whispered and rested her hand on the side of his face, "Now darling, please tell the truth…can it be done?"

He looked hurt and insulted, "As I've told you, it's not possible. I'm not lying to you Dagian."

There were times when she doubted that he was. He'd told her several times that she'd never conceive if she was with him but every time she felt ill she wondered if maybe he was lying about that so he didn't scare her.

He wrapped his arm around her, "Things will settle down in time, we'll be happy. I'll make both of you happy-"

Dagian sighed; she wished he would understand that she didn't WANT any material goods. Like Bae, she wanted the old version of him back.

But if it was impossible then what was she going to do? Was she going to stay for Bae? What happened when Bae grew up? Would she stay with him afterwards? Voluntarily? Sure she was…content (If that was the word) now but would she be happy?

She didn't know.

Raised voices were outside the house and her husband looked over his shoulder, "Something is wrong."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

When Dagian held August…or…Bae in her embrace, floodgates of emotions hit her.

She could talk about the morals all she wanted to about how Rumpelstiltskin came to do what he'd done by bringing them here. But he'd done it. He'd found their son. Whatever means he had to reach were irrelevant in her opinion.

She pulled back and cradled his face in her hands. Oh he looked so much like the boy that she'd seen fall into the vortex when he was fourteen.

"I'm sorry," she whispered through her tears, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I should've fought harder to hold onto you. I should've fought harder to get him in there. I'm sorry Bae. Please forgive me."

He looked pensive, "Mother-."

She wiped her tears away so that she could see him better, "We need to tell your father."

She got up to go to the phone and out of the corner of her eye, saw a brief panic cross his face and he pulled her back to her chair, "No! No, not yet. Not yet mother, I can't let him know who I am."

"Well why not?" she demanded, "Everything he's done…coming here, this con he's pulled…he's done it for you. And here you are-."

"Mother," he grabbed her hands, "I need you to trust me. He'll know. Just not yet."

Dagian sighed tiredly, she was so tired and she really didn't want to handle any more scheming from her son when she got enough of it from his father.

But she'd blamed herself partially for what happened to Bae. She owed him at least this.

"What do you want me to do," she asked and saw her husband's car appear down the road.

Baelfire saw it too, "Do what you've been doing. Just don't let him know about me yet."

He made it to his motorcycle and down the street before her husband pulled up to the front of the house and got out of the car.

"What was he doing here?" Gold asked as he limped up the stairs.

"He was just checking on me," Dagian said. It wasn't completely a lie, "Hi."

"Hi," he greeted and kissed her when she stood up. He pulled back and studied her face for a few seconds before smiling, "You're glowing, darling."

"So are you," she said and tilted her head, "And why is that, I wonder?"

He smirked and placed his cheek against hers so that his mouth was right next to her ear, "I have a feeling that Kathryn Nolan is going to be making a reappearance this afternoon."

And the warmth she felt at reuniting with her son was immediately gone when her blood ran cold at those words.


	42. Chapter 42

**Once Upon A Time**

Rumpelstiltskin could conjure the clothes to fit him. Dagian wasn't so luckily and scrambled to get her clothes on.

She didn't have time to lace up the back of her dress so she just threw a shawl around her shoulders and pulled it around her body and raced out the door.

"What's happened?" she asked a nearby villager who just stared at her in terror and didn't answer her.

Her husband and son were standing side by side across from a man that she recognized as one of the soldiers who had spit on her once and called Bae illegitimate when she walked down the street with him as a baby.

"Gods no," she looked at her husband, "Rumpelstiltskin-."

He ignored her and looked at the man, continuing some sort of conversation that the both of them had been having before she arrived, "Well I suppose it won't happen again…"

"It won't," Baelfire assured him.

Rumpelstiltskin got a gleam in his eye that she recognized he got when someone had walked right into one of his traps, he raised his finger dramatically and pointed to Bae's knee, "What's that?"

Dagian craned her neck to see her son had been injured and shot an angry glare at the man. Had he hurt their son? No it wouldn't be intentional. Not really. She noticed that he'd done his best to avoid them at all costs.

And whatever happened, the man was going to pay for it.

"Rumpelstiltskin-," she said, "Wait-."

"It's nothing," Bae defended.

"Nothing," the man repeated and looked to her for help. She wouldn't be able to give it though. The last time she tried to help someone; he'd lifted his hand and stopped her in her tracks with his magic until he was done.

Rumpelstiltskin raised his hand and made some sort of sound that cut both their protests off, "Don't. Bother."

"Stop!" Dagian pleaded as the man disappeared in a flash of purple smoke and what was left was a snail.

He walked forward, ignoring his son's pleading. She didn't understand why Bae even bothered anymore. He should know by now that Rumpelstiltskin wasn't going to listen to him.

A sickening crunch signified that the now turned man was dead and she put her hand over her mouth. She'd seen him hurt people that he felt had wronged him constantly but it never ceased to terrify her.

How much of this was the dark curse and how much of it was actually her husband's anger taking over? IT was a question that always plagued her and one that he would never answer.

Everyone scrambled away she watched as Rumpelstiltskin pulled her son to his side and started walking back to the house.

Her boy looked to her for help and she closed her eyes. He wouldn't listen to his son, what made her son think he'd listen to her?

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day <strong>

Dagian watched the nurse wheel in the contraption that this world called an 'ultrasound' and put a hand on her stomach protectively.

Her husband noticed her movement and eyed the nurse suspiciously, "Is that safe?"

"Of course sir," the nurse said nervously. She treated Mr. Gold as much as anyone else, "I've done this plenty of times.

Dagian noticed that his hand was on her shoulder but she couldn't tell if it was for protection or he was just demonstrating his dominance over her but she pulled away slightly and hoped it was the former.

She winced at the cold gel that was put on her stomach and when her husband glared at the nurse Dagian thought he might launch himself across the bed and strangle her.

"I'm fine," she said and put a reassuring hand on his wrist, "I'm fine."

Although she knew that he hardly cared about her. As long as he got his new kid out of the deal she knew he'd probably throw her to the curb when it was born.

If they weren't separated by then. She wondered if Emma would break this curse by the time the baby was born. If she did then Dagian was packing up and taking off into the world. She wasn't going to let him have this baby after what he did to Bae and she wasn't sticking around for him to enact whatever vengeance plan he had for her either.

The nurse put the…device? What was that thing? On her stomach and turned on the monitor. Dagian instinctively intertwined her hand in her husband's and looked up at him.

Maybe it wasn't a good idea to leave him. He'd find her. IF anyone could do it then it would be him.

And if they went back then it'd mean that he'd have his magic back and he wouldn't hesitate to hurt her. She knew he was probably just WAITING for it.

A couple of seconds passed and the nurse pointed to what was obviously a head, "That's the head."

Dagian wanted to say something smart but a look of awe from her husband silenced her. He exhaled a little and the look was also accompanied by both love and devotion.

She'd seen the exact same look when he held Bae for the first time.

"Are you ready?" the nurse asked.

Dagian felt her emotions start to surface but she choked them back and nodded, "Show us."

The nurse moved the device and a couple of seconds passed, "It's a girl."

Dagian let out a small gasp and tightened her grip on her husband's hand, "Really?"

The nurse nodded, "There's her leg and there's her other leg-."

Next to Dagian, Rumpelstiltskin smiled radiantly and for the first time since she could remember looked blissfully happy as he knelt down beside her face and rested his hand on the crown of her hair. Her heart melted slightly at the joy on his face and the tears in his eyes when he kissed her, "We're having a girl."

She smiled and nodded. After Rumpelstiltskin had told her that he couldn't have children then she'd all but given up on the idea of ever becoming a mother again. And while there was a part of her that feared he was lying, there was a part of her; a very small part, what wished it had happened.

Things would've been a lot different.

Gold looked up to the nurse, "Give us a few minutes please."

* * *

><p>It wasn't until looking at his unborn daughter had sunk in, that Gold finally realized the severity of what he'd put his wife through these past 28 years.<p>

He'd given her false memories and had sex with her while she didn't know who she was and he did. He was aware that it was wrong when he'd done it.

It had been a moment of weakness. He didn't hate Dagian when it happened. By then he had settled down in a life of contentment with her and he was willing to just make it like that.

But one night, eight months after their arrival here the nightmares hit. Dagian had woken him up from them. His throat hurt from screaming and he was shaking and the images of his boy slipping into parts unknown still played clearly.

She held his hand while he settled down. And then she offered him comfort and he obliged her. And when it was done he was so racked with guilt that he couldn't look at himself in the mirror for the next four months.

She didn't understand what was happening at the time. She thought they were married for fifteen years. And he couldn't exactly explain it without sounding insane.

And then it just…became easier and easier after that. He justified it by saying that this was just another chance. She was just as innocent as she was when they got married. It was just what she always wanted. He'd kept her safe and happy and gave her everything she wanted.

But she wasn't going to see it that way and with good reason.

It occurred to him that he didn't want her to be scared of him; he didn't want her to fear what he'd do to her. He wanted to try this again; he wanted to win her back.

He wanted to atone for what he did to her. And not just the sex. Everything. The mental, the emotional…she would probably leave him and she would probably hate him but he could win her back. He had to at least try. They were going to have a daughter now; this wasn't just about them anymore. He had to try for her.

Dagian smiled gently and rubbed her stomach as they drove back, "I've always wanted a girl."

It was true. After Bae had been born she had said she wanted a girl next. Now that was possible. Maybe it was fortune smiling on them. Maybe it was a good sign.

They could work through it. They were on the same level on everything now. She wasn't forced to be anywhere she didn't want to be. They could work on their marriage.

Oh gods, what had he done? This was his wife. She wasn't supposed to be scared of him or hating him.

HE pulled over to the side of the road and drew a shuddering breath.

She looked at him, "What?"

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his eyes filling up with tears, "I'm so sorry for everything I've done to you."

He didn't expect her to forgive him, but he wanted her to at least know.

Her eyes filled with tears and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He returned the embrace and buried his face in her neck.

"I don't want to play this little game anymore," He whispered to her. It was pointless really. What was the point of pretending everything was fine, "I won't…harm you or throw you out or make your life miserable if you tell me."

"DO you give me your word?"

"Yes."

"You've broken it before." She accused and he felt that burden that he carried on his chest every day become even heavier.

"Not this time."

She pulled back and looked like she was weighing her options, "I remember."

And there it was. Blunt. To the point. No swelling music or fanfare. She remembered. That was it.

He nodded and restarted the car.

"What happens now?" she asked.

He sighed, "I suppose we'll figure that out. We have a lot to talk about."


	43. Chapter 43

**Once Upon A Time**

Rumpelstiltskin had agreed to Bae's deal.

Dagian wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't been sitting next to her husband at the supper table but he'd agreed to it. They'd shook on it and as she looked at her husband gazing fondly at their son. She knew that Rumpelstiltskin was only concerned with Bae's happiness. It was the reason that she was there and her husband had always claimed that he wanted to give his son everything they never had.

But she also knew that he was lying. That he was humoring Bae, but judging by his son's hopeful expression, he thought his father would be willing to help him.

What were they going to do? Go to the nearest archives and look up scrolls for the 'dark one'? Had Bae even thought this through?

No, he was just happy enough to think that his father would willingly give up his power.

He wouldn't. If the normal Rumpelstiltskin had power, then maybe. But this wasn't just him. Whatever had ahold of him now wouldn't release him as easily as Bae thought it would.

But for the look of joy on Bae's face….she had never seen him look that happy. Just for that look, Rumpelstiltskin tell their boy anything he wanted.

She smiled at her him and took her husband's hand. He gave her a sideways glance but the small smile on his face as long as the affection in his eyes was enough.

She took his hand. Just for a minute their boy was happy.

Just for a minute, they were a family again.

* * *

><p>It all came crashing down later that day though. Just like it always did, any semblance of happiness and normalcy was interrupted by Rumpelstiltskin being…himself.<p>

She was trying to knit when the door opened and her son stormed into the room, "Bae?"

He was upset. He was disturbed, "Papa killed the maid."

Dagian felt her blood run cold. Enora was practically a child, and she wouldn't hurt a fly. Why on earth would he try and...

"She knew about the knife," Bae said on the verge of tears, "Things are supposed to get better. He said they'd settle back to normal but things are only getting worse."

"Oh Bae," she said in horror and wrapped her arms around her boy. She prayed to whatever gods still heard her that he at least didn't murder Enora right in front of their son.

"But…but it'll be okay though, he won't be able to do this anymore."

She raised her eyebrow, "Bae, what're you-?"

"Morraine told me," he told her excitedly, "She said something about how the Rhuel Ghorim might be able to save him."

Dagian tilted her head, "The blue star?"

"You've heard of it?"

"It's an old fairy tale that my mother used to tell me. She used to tell me that if I behaved then the Rhuel Ghorim would protect me."

"Is it real?"

"I don't know Bae. The so called Blue Star hasn't exactly lived up to its reputation."

She watched as his jaw set and she knew that he was going to do what he'd set his mind to.

"Well if you're going to go wandering in the woods searching for ancient beings with unlimited power then I'm going with you."

"You can't."

"Yes I can. Watch me. I'm your mother."

"You can't because you have to make sure that papa won't come looking for me."

"Yes, because if something happens to you, I want to explain to your angry violent father why I was making sure he stayed in the cabin."

"Mother," he put on his puppy face that he knew would work, "_Please. _The Rhuel Ghorim might not even talk to me if your there. You said you will back me? I want to go alone. I need to do this. It might not even…it might not even be real."

Her maternal instincts screamed that letting her son wander in the woods by himself was a stupid idea. People had tried to kill them before and letting him out by himself without his father nearby to protect him could also lead to some bad consequences from the village as well.

But Rumpelstiltskin had gotten rid of the king and his court who wanted them under his control or dead and the villagers were terrified. . And besides, Bae had been in the dark outside before. He was almost a man now; she couldn't coddle him forever even though she just wished she could make up for lost time.

And it wasn't like the Rhuel Ghorim existed anyway.

"You have until eleven," she said, "If you're not home by then, I'm going to come looking for you."

Bae nodded, "Yes mother."

She tousled his hair affectionately. Oh she'd missed out on so much that she'd never get back.

Bae's face immediately darkened and she knew that he thought of something that he really didn't want to think about, "If it's able to turn papa back into what he used to be…will you stay?"

She didn't even have to think about it, "Yes."

"You don't have to," he told her, "You won't owe anything to me. I know that you don't want to be here anyway, but dad forces you to. I know that you regret leaving us but I don't want you to feel like you have to stay because of some vows you made years ago-."

"Baelfire," she said and grabbed his face so that he was looking at her, "I'm not going to leave again. You don't understand, I want him back too."

* * *

><p>When Baelfire left for the woods later, Dagian couldn't sit still. She adjusted things in the cabin, cleaned the cabin from top to bottom, cooked dinner, and cleaned the cabin again.<p>

It could be done tonight. Her husband could be back to normal. She wasn't getting her hopes up but the idea that she could go to bed tonight sleeping by her husband…her real husband for the first time in years excited her.

If he forgave them. And if they didn't have to leave the village as soon as he turned which was more than likely.

She should pack some things up. Just in case.

Just as she stood, the door opened and her husband stepped through, "Hello darling,"

She was quiet as he kissed the side of her face, so he continued, "You wouldn't believe what I saw today."

" "I can only imagine," she said. The lifeblood of the maid surrounding his boots perhaps?

"I saw Morraine talking to our boy," he kissed her shoulder, "Perhaps we'll be seeing a marriage in a couple of years. I know they've had their eye on each other since both of them were five."

"Where were you?" she asked.

"Dealing," was all he said.

"Oh," she replied. Her anger flared in her chest, "I just thought that maybe you were murdering potential maids because you were paranoid they might know what pant size you wear."

He glared at her, "She heard me talking about the knife."

"And?"

"Have you forgotten why Zoso manipulated me into murdering him? How easily it is to get control of this knife and to get control of me."

"Then hide it in a better place than your cloak!" she snapped, "You don't murder people on what MIGHT happen. Especially an innocent girl that you forced to come here in the first place."

"Oh Dagian," he said, "She would've eventually died anyway."

Dagian shook her head, "I can't believe you're trying to justify this."

"I shouldn't have to justify anything. This is our life now," he said, "You want a husband that can protect you and who isn't a coward and now you have one."

"Oh no no no," she sat across from him, "Don't you _dare _try and use that as a weapon. You know very well that I never cared if you were labeled a coward or not. I _stayed_with you. I stayed by your side until the dark one drove me away-."

"It doesn't matter why you left," he snapped, "Just that you left. Because I couldn't provide the stability that you needed. Well now I can and you may not like what that may entail sometimes, but at the end of the day you and Bae are safe. Which is all I care about."

"If hurting innocent people is the sacrifice that has to be paid then I'm not willing to pay it," she said as he sat down at the spinning wheel.

"No one's innocent in this world, Dagian," he said and started working, "Not completely."

She shook her head and went to sit by the fire. What was the point of fighting with him if he was going to justify it? If he was going to bring up her past to defend himself? He wasn't going to listen to her. She wasn't going to sway him.

The only thing that could be heard was her husband's wheel. The same wheel that she used to sit with him at when she was recovering from the attack. The same one that she used to sit with him at when he was recovering from the war.

And now he was using it as a barrier.

That figured.

She wondered if maybe she could push him down and take the knife and control him to get rid of the curse. But she knew she had to sleep sometime and gods help her if he found out where she hid the blade.

The door flew open and Baelfire rushed in. She looked over her shoulder and tried to study his face. Had he done it? Had the Rhuel Ghorim actually listened to the one person a decade that it probably helped?

"Papa! Papa. I found it," Baelfire sat down, "I found a way for things to be like they were. I want you to come with me. I can make things right."

Dagian refused to let herself get excited at this prospect. Especially with the expression on her husband's face. She couldn't really describe it but she knew that Bae was about to get his hopes crushed. Rumpelstiltskin wasn't going to make good on his deal. She could see it from her place by the fire.

"Bae-," she whispered but it came out a lot quieter than she thought. Maybe it was for the better. Baelfire could convince him of things when she couldn't. But even their son's influence was starting to wane.

"Have you heard of the Rhuel Ghorim?" Bae asked.

IT was then that Rumpelstiltksin stopped, "The Blue Star. The Blue Fairy? Oh son, please tell me you didn't. Fairy magic doesn't mix well with what I am."

Baelfire refused to let his father's argument sway him, "But you promised. She can help us. Us. To take us to a place without magic."

"A place without magic," Rumpelstiltskin scoffed. Dagian had to admit that her husband might have a point. What kind of a land was without magic? None that she had ever heard of. How did they even function? How did true love work? How did wishes come true? How did miracles happen?

Rumpelstiltskin stood and moved away so that he had a break from looking at his son's puppy eyes. "I'd be powerless. Weak."

"Like everyone else, it wouldn't matter," Baelfire argued. He'd obviously been practicing this on the way home, "We'd be happy-."

Rumpelstiltskin spread his arms, "We could be happy here."

"Father please," Bae pleaded, using the term _father _for the first time that Dagian could ever remember, "You're getting worse and you promised. This can work. It can. You made a deal with me. Are you backing out?"

Dagian looked at her son. He was such a child still, still believing in promises and deals but his…refusal to budge and the way he confronted his father made him more adult than most men she knew.

He looked like such a man.

And she knew from her husband's expression, he saw it as well.

"No," was all Rumpelstiltskin said.

Dagian breathed a sigh of relief and nearly started crying. They were getting him back. IT was going to happen, she'd been wrong, "I'll get us some things."

Dagian laid out a piece of cloth and started packing some food. Bae was waiting for them outside.

She felt her husband move in behind her and lay her cloak across her shoulders, "Did you know that he was going to do this?"

She looked at him, "Yes."

His expression was unreadable, "If this happens…I'm not going to be able to give you anything anymore."

"I don't care," she whispered, "I don't want anything anyway."

He brushed some stray hair from her face, "If this works are you going to leave me?"

She turned and kissed him, "I won't leave you. But there are several things that we'll have to work on before we're at the place where we should be, I think."

He nodded and embraced her.

She pulled back and adjusted her cloak, "What kind of a land is without magic?"

He shrugged and took her hand, "I suppose we're going to find out."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Dagian expected something different as opposed to what happened.

She expected anger. She expected screaming and…probably some shooting but she didn't expect what had happened in the car. She didn't expect how calm he was. HE was still cordial; he still opened her car door for her and helped her up the stairs. She was surprised but she did nothing to give it away.

And when they got inside he took her coat. Maybe she expected the burden to lift from her shoulders but it didn't. Instead it just crushed down on her chest even more now that it was out in the open. Now the hiding was over, they had to deal with what they were going to do.

He was going to hurt her, he was going to hurt her, he was going to hurt her…

"Here," Gold or Rumpelstiltskin or whatever he was calling himself now led her into the living room, and moved some things off the couch and helped her sit down, "Sit down here."

"Thank you."

"Well, I suppose," he said and sat on the coffee table, right across from her, "That you're going to want to talk."

She averted her gaze. Well here it went. She could either bottle it in like she always did or let it out like he deserved.

"Dagian," He reached for her hand but she pulled it away. He hesitated and then sighed.

"What do we do?" she asked, her voice without emotion. She saw pain come across his face. This wasn't the first time that she'd used this voice. She's put her wall up and he was quite aware that she was blocking him, "Are you going to continue keeping me here?"

Now he really looked hurt, "Well, you promised me once that you'd stay."

"That was before-," she trailed off and stopped. She didn't want to say it. AS if saying his name would open those old emotions that she was desperately wanted to hold back.

He closed his eyes tightly and then looked down, "Dagian, I had no choice. I had to keep you safe and when you really understand who our enemies are then you'll know that you were safest with me."

"And doing this to me," she nodded to her stomach, "Getting me pregnant with no idea who I was. Was that keeping me safe or was that just a perk? Or was it your own special brand of humiliation?"

"No," He shook his head, "It wasn't. I give you my word that when we were…together it wasn't when I was ever angry with you."

"Somehow that makes it seem worse."

"Well our relationship is what its' always been, dear. One of us seeks comfort. The other gives it. The way I see things, it hasn't changed from what it was. IT's not so different," He

"Yes, I believe the term calls it 'friends with benefits' in this world."

"I'd like to think that we were more than that," he said, "Not true loves but not something so…forgettable either."

"If we were more than that then you wouldn't have done what you did to me," she said angrily.

"What else was I supposed to do? Let you have your memories? Let you live with everything we've been through? Refuse us both a new start?" he demanded, "After what you _did…_you didn't give me many options to what would happen to you when we arrived here."

"Maybe because you didn't give me many options," she said.

He stopped, "You didn't give me a chance."

"You lost any chances you had after you dropped Bae in that vortex." She snapped, "You brought me with you as a sign of goodwill to Bae. And now that he's gone…our deal is null and void as far as I'm concerned."

"So then you're leaving me," he said in resignation.

She looked at him in surprise. How long had he been waiting for this? Anticipating it? Since they got there? Since before that?

"Not yet," she told him. Despite the fact that she would LOVE to run out of this house right now, she couldn't. She knew about Regina and what she might do if she knew Dagian remembered. She may not exactly like her husband but she was certain that he wouldn't hurt her or the baby. At least not physically. But she didn't have the same hopes about Regina.

No, as much as she hated it, she knew that staying with him would be the safest option. At least it would be for now. But when Regina was no longer a threat…or when the baby was born…all bets were off.

Her daughter kicked her and she subconsciously put her hand over her stomach. Rumpelstiltskin reached out to place his hand over hers. It was just something that they'd always done. IT was just a small touch that bonded both of them with the baby at the same time. But now wasn't the time and he stopped his little habit immediately, his fingers brushed against the back of her hand before he pulled it away.

"Dagian," He pleaded, "Give me a chance to make this right. For you, for Bae, for our child."

"Why are we here?" she asked. She knew the answer, and she knew where Bae was. But she knew that he would think it was suspicious

He looked down, "Bae is here."

She tried to feign surprise and thought she pulled it off quite well, "What?"

"I spend all this time…," He stopped and smiled fondly, "I brought us here for him, Dagian. You can hate me all you want. It doesn't bother me; in fact I know I deserve it and worse for everything I've done."

"That would be better coming out of your mouth if you hadn't spent 28 years doing everything you've done." She said and stood.

"That's fair," he agreed, "Where are you going?"

"It's getting late. Just because we're sharing a roof doesn't mean we're sharing a room. I'm going to gather a few things and for now I'm going to be sleeping in the guest room."

"Dagian, you don't need to do that."

"Rumpelstiltskin, the only reason I'm staying is because I'm pregnant. Not because I have any lingering feelings for you," she said, "For now just leave me alone."


	44. Chapter 44

"You told him that you remembered?"

Dagian rolled her eyes and looked at Baelfire. She was exhausted and didn't have the patience for her son's needling questions, "He knew it anyway."

"You exposed yourself needlessly."

"He won't hurt me," she snapped. She had not slept well. Despite the many rows they'd had over the 28 years of false memories, neither one had ever had ever taken the guest room. They'd rather share the bed and be miserable than give up the comfort of their bed and take that horrible lumpy mattress.

And even if she had gotten the bed, she wouldn't have been able to sleep. The dreams had come full force now that she had her memories back. She was terrified that when she closed her eyes that nightmares would accompany them.

The last thing she wanted to do was give Rumpelstiltskin a reason to get close to her when he had to wake her up.

He'd been gone that morning when she finally pulled herself out of bed. It was planned that way; she just laid there and waited. She knew that he had checked on her when he got up, but she didn't turn from her place with her back to the door.

"You don't know that he won't," Baelfire…or August as he was calling himself now told her.

"If he wanted to hurt me then he would've done it by now," she said

"I'm not going to sit around and let you stay there and wait around for that to happen," he snapped, "You're my mother and that's my sister and the more that he holds you under his thumb and controls you then the more danger you're in. I think you should come to the inn with me."

"I'm not leaving and exposing the fact that I remember to Regina," she argued.

"Do you really think that you'll be safer with _him?" _Baelfire spat, "He's used you. He brought you home to play house when you left him and then…however you survived all those centuries afterwards he gave you false memories so that he could have _comfort _while you lived your life in ignorance. Conceiving a baby that you weren't conscious to have-."

She looked up sharply. Contrary to what he thought, she did want this baby. It may not have been made when she was aware but if there was anything that WOULD be the highlight of this farce of a marriage then it would be their daughter.

"I _know _what he did," she hissed, angry with him, "And I know enough about Regina to know how vicious she is and I know that I'd be taking my life in my hands if I walked out that door and never turned back like I wanted to do. But I have more than my life to think about, I have to keep your sister safe. Rumpelstiltskin is my best bet to do that."

"And the more you stay with him the more chances you have of returning."

"Oh trust me son," she shook her head, "There's no chance of that happening."

* * *

><p>From a distance, Gold watched his wife and the writer interacting.<p>

He didn't like the idea of this man being so close to his wife. Something was off about him. Something had happened when they were talking together that made her get her memories, and after that they were a lot closer than they were letting him know about and he really didn't trust that.

A thought occurred to him that he dismissed. No. He couldn't be Bae. Dagian would've told him immediately if it was their son.

And besides, he thought as he started dusting the counter, he wasn't supposed to come until after the curse was broken. It wouldn't make sense if this boy…who did bear a resemblance to his child, was here yet.

If he wasn't Bae then who was he? Someone trying to move in on his wife before the divorce papers had even been printed off? No. He didn't think so. Dagian always had problems with trust and she wasn't about to put her faith in someone that she hardly knew.

And she wasn't exactly the kind of woman that would break her vows within a day of revealing who she was to him.

What if he was Bae? That would certainly explain why she gained her memories after interacting with him.

He threw the dust rag against the counter in frustration. This was all wrong. It wasn't supposed to be happening yet. Bae wasn't supposed to be here.

Maybe he wasn't Bae. Perhaps he was someone else.

But who?

He needed to get control of this situation quickly before it spiraled out of control.

* * *

><p>Dagian stacked plates and put them in the cabinet when her husband walked in, "Dinner's on the table."<p>

He stopped at her curt response and tilted his head, "Are you not even going to eat with me?"

"We're playing house," she said, "That's all you get."

"How long are you going to be angry at me? I'm not your enemy Dagian."

"Could've fooled me," she hissed.

"I think that if you truly believed that I was your enemy then you would've left."

She scoffed, "Oh, is that what you think?"

"Yes, since that's what you do best."

She slammed the plates down and nearly came after him like she was going to slap him.

"Give me a reason why I should stay with you," she hissed, "After everything you've done."

"Because this is our chance to be happy. Don't you understand-."

"No," she shook her head, "Don't pull that. The only time you're happy is if you have me under your full control and I don't have a choice to leave in our relationship. I'm not putting myself in that again. IT was bad enough when you were the dark one and I had hopes that we could try again and things would change and to say that I was disappointed would be an understatement. I'm not going to let you put me through that again because I know what kind of a person that you are."

"So you're going to run away again?" he challenged, "Wait until the coast is clear before you rush out. You see I know what kind of person you are too. I can only hope that this time you actually be a mother to our child and not abandon us when things get too hard."

That time he got a slap and he couldn't deny that he deserved it.

"You always said that you wanted it to be the way it was. Now here we have a chance. I'm not consumed by evil anymore Dagian, I'm the human, not the dark one."

"And how much of the Dark One is left?" she challenged, "The Rumpelstiltskin that I knew? He'd never do the things you've done in Storybrooke. Now I know that that Rumpelstiltskin is dead. And I've accepted that but don't you dare to pretend otherwise. Don't give me hope that things could be better."

"But it can be. We can find Bae. And we can get back on track-."

"Every time we try to be a family it fails," she told him, "Maybe we just weren't meant to be."

"Maybe not," he said and touched her face. She didn't respond to the gesture. Instead she just watched him with her eyes cold and full of defiance. He didn't mind the defiance part. At least he knew that she was still in there and wasn't near as cold toward him as she was when they lost Bae.

At least not yet.

"Dagian," he whispered, stepping closer, "WE may not be each other's true love but we can be content. Thousands have married over the years after their true loves were gone, we could do the same. I mean it makes sense. You and I know each other better than anyone here, we're the oldest ones here, we're practically cut from the same cloth, we have the same history, heading for the same goal. I know you care for me. I know deep down that you would like nothing more than to stay…"

He rested his forehead on hers and continued, "I do love you."

He saw a flicker of desire in her eyes, along with fear. Which was the exact opposite of what he wanted. He'd hardly slept last night because he was alone in the bed. When was the last time that had happened that didn't involve her being at work?

"You love Dawn," she said as his lips hovered close to her, "You love a girl who supports you no matter how low you stoop. And I'm not Dawn anymore."


	45. Chapter 45

**Once Upon A Time**

It was one of those things that could change in an instant.

Dagian was sure that they would go to another land. They could be happy, they would be together, maybe with his powers gone, he could give her another child. Gods knew that they had a long way to go in their relationship before that happened though.

But now as she was staring at the swirling vortex, she was really starting to doubt Bae's faith that everything would be alright.

"My gods, boy!" Rumpelstiltskin said and started backing up, "It's like a tornado."

"We have to go through it!" Bae screamed above the wind.

"No, no! I don't think I can," Rumpelstiltskin argued and Dagian had reservations as well. She'd seen many things contributed to magic growing up. She'd seen her husband do amazing things with his powers but she had never seen anything like this.

"We must!" Baelfire screamed, "It's the only way."

Dagian didn't know if Rumpelstiltskin was truly afraid or if he realized that he was losing his power but the fear in his voice could've made it either reason, perhaps both, "No, no, no, no, no! IT's a trick! It'll tear us apart!"

"It's not!" Bae looked at her pleadingly, asking for help but Dagian didn't know what to do. This was their only chance and it wouldn't stay open forever but the force of this vortex that was pulling at her dress and heavy cloak terrified her. Going into the unknown based on the trust of a creature that just revealed itself seemed off to her.

But this was their only chance.

"It'll be okay," Bae continued, talking to his father, "I promise!"

She had to take a risk though. If not then she didn't know how much longer she could expect her son to endure as he watched his father to deteriorate, "Rumpelstiltskin," she put a hand on his shoulder, "For us. Please."

She would've pushed him, but as she prepared to the ground collapsed out from under them. Rumpelstiltskin collapsed on top of her, driving the air from her lungs. As she gasped for breath she could see that the only thing keeping her son in this world was the grip her husband had on his arm.

"We have to go through," Baelfire pleaded as Rumpelstiltskin pulled himself away from the vortex and used his knife as an anchor, "What are you doing? Papa! It won't stay open long! Let's go!"

"I can't!" Rumpelstiltskin yelled, "I can't."

Dagian struggled to push him off her but the way he landed on her leg had hurt it somehow

"Papa, please! It's the only way we can all be together."

"No Bae!" Rumpelstiltskin said, "I can't."

It was then that she watched her son's faith in their father shatter completely, "You coward!" he screamed, using the word that he had once sworn to her that he would never use, "You promised! Don't break our deal!"

"I have to!" Rumpelstiltskin said.

"No!" Dagian screamed and tried to move but she was trapped by her hurt leg and her husband's weight, "Don't! Rumpelstiltskin, no!"

And she watched him release her son.

A broken scream left her boy's throat as he screamed for his father and slid into the vortex. Rumpelstiltskin pulled himself off her and clung tighter to the knife and Dagian watched in horror as the vortex disappeared.

A moment of silence passed and Rumpelstiltskin looked up from his cowering. Reality sunk in.

"Bae?" he said a little too quietly, "Bae!"

And Dagian hated him as he stood and ran to the spot where Bae had disappeared.

Fear took Dagian. Her son was literally a world away. Trapped. Cut off from them.

Gods, she was never going to see him again.

"No," she whispered, "What did you do? What did you do?"

She ignored the pain in leg and a possible hurt rib when his elbow hit her when he fell. She didn't care. She lost control of her emotions and a seething hatred took hold of her.

"What did you do?" She slammed him as hard as she could, knocking him in the mud, "You let him go! You broke your word and you let him fall!"

She would've liked nothing more than to claw his eyes out, but he was stronger than she was and held onto her wrists.

Gods, she could kill him.

As soon as the anger took over, it was gone and she started sobbing.

Bae was gone, Bae was gone, Bae was gone, Bae was gone.

He shoved her off him and she let him. The sobs turned into hyperventilation.

Bae was in a completely different unrecognizable world all alone. She failed him.

Rumpelstiltskin reached for her, "I'm sorry."

"Don't touch me," she hissed.

She didn't look to see what his expression was. She didn't care if she hurt him. She didn't care if he knew that she hated him because it was over now. This farce of rebuilding their relationship was done, it would never have worked even with Bae there being their anchor. It certainly wasn't going to work now and she didn't care if he knew it. She no longer cared what he did to her. Frankly she was hoping that he'd snap her neck right there because death would be preferable to living with him after he put his power over their family.

He stood and she stared into the mud. She couldn't even look at him.

"I'll get him back," he told her but she knew he might as well be wishing for horses to be born from pigs because that had more of a chance happening. "I'll get the Rhuel Ghorim to bring him back….I'll talk to it…

She didn't even look up at him.

She heard him sigh, and he bent down and touched her hurt leg. The pain was replaced with relief but as soon as it was done she pulled away, "Go home Dagian. I'll be along shortly."

She stood and stumbled out of the pit.

She may be going home but she didn't guarantee that she'd still be there when he arrived.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Dagian pulled her coat over her stomach and walked into the bakery. She'd left the house early this morning. She really didn't want to see her husband after he tried getting her on his side again last night.

Or as she should put it bluntly; attempting to seduce her to see his side of things. And she almost bought it. How could she be so stupid?

He wasn't going to be a husband to her, and she couldn't be a wife to him. They'd twisted a once loving relationship up so badly that it was hardly recognizable anymore.

And she hated him for what he did to her. She hated him for keeping her asleep for 28 years and then knocking her up while she believed that she was an abused girl who married him because she had no other choice.

An abused girl that lived in fear of her father. As if that wasn't spitting at her beloved father's memory then she didn't know what was.

And while there was a part of him that loathed him, there was a part of her that loved him to and she hate herself for it. Did he have that strong of a hold on her that she would want to try again just because he was wearing a human form now? He was still very much Rumpelstiltskin.

Mr. Barry looked up to see her and he looked confused, "Mrs. Gold? What are you doing here; I thought you had to be put on maternity leave."

"I did," she leaned over the counter, "I'm just angry at my husband and I thought that perhaps you have some bread I can punch."

"You mean knead?"

She smiled, "Same difference."

He gestured to the table and she grabbed a large handful and threw it on the table, "What did he do?"

"Secrets caught up with him," she said, "He doesn't understand why I don't like them and let's just say that we may be looking at the end of our marriage soon.

Mr. Barry plinked, "That's new. Usually when you're angry with him, you stay with him no matter what he does.'

"Things change," she shrugged and noticed he was favoring his bad hip, "You know sir, if you want to take a break I can manage the front for a while."

"Your husband would kill me."

She shrugged, "He doesn't have to know. I'll be fine. We're not busy during this time of the day; I can watch the front just fine.

He went to the back and she continued beating the dough angrily. She didn't know how much longer she could stay with him. He knew her better than anyone; he would use her weaknesses to get her back. Why? She doubted because he loved her, or if he did it was a twisted sort of love. No, he wanted her because she was nothing more than a possession to him and he wanted her by his side because losing her would mean he lost somehow and he couldn't very well have that.

Dawn heard the bell of the bakery ring and looked up to see little Henry Mills walk in. He was an odd one but she couldn't help but like him. After all, despite knowing he probably sounded insane, he stuck to his beliefs and stood up to Regina. And he was right.

She knew the kid couldn't help who his adopted mother was. Frankly she was quite surprised that the fairy tale world was ALL he obsessed over.

"Hello Henry," she said, "Mr. Barry's on his break."

Henry always tried to come in when Mr. Barry was there. Her boss felt just as bad for Henry as she did and often gave him things like sweets if he helped out here and there around the store.

Apparently he hadn't been here much since Emma came to town.

"I know," he sat on a chair that was by the register, "He said you might need help."

"He said no such thing," she said, "Is Emma working or something?"

The boy nodded, "She's busy with the Mrs. Nolan thing and so I don't get to see her much."

It was then that she slipped into Dawn's persona. For a quick while she forgot herself as she delved into this little part they played, "Well, my husband is busy with the Mrs. Nolan thing too and so I think I know how you're feeling," she grabbed a napkin and picked up a cookie with it, "I don't think I have anything for you to do."

"I know. Actually I came here for a different reason," he accepted the cookie from her and then put it on the counter, "If Mr. Gold was a fairy tale character who would he be?"

A small half smile lit her face and she shook her head, "Subtle Henry."

He tried to keep his eyes innocent, "It's just a question."

"Henry, there's no such thing as 'just a question' with you," she said and opened up the fridge in the back and grabbed some milk and a glass.

"Okay, but who would he be?"

"Honestly Henry, it's not one of the things we talk about at night."

"Then what do you talk about?" he asked curiously.

She forgot herself for a moment and laughed, "There's not usually a lot of talking going on at night."

"I didn't know you two were mad at each other."

She looked up and blushed. Oh boy, how easy it was to slip into the mindset that she'd had for 28 years, "I-um…well Henry…when we uh…when we do talk, we talk about a lot of things….that a kid would be bored by."

"Then who would you be?"

She shrugged, "I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet, Henry."

"Well, you're not in my book…and my mom didn't exactly want me to read fairy tales when I was little."

"Yes well…fairy tales weren't exactly my forte either growing up," She placed the glass down in front of him, "MY childhood was a little more about survival."

"But your father wasn't abusive. Those memories aren't real."

Her eyes flickered, "Henry, don't."

"But-"

"Don't," she warned again.

He searched her eyes as if he saw something there and his eyes widened, "Do you remember?"

"Hush," she said quickly and smiled as her husband walked in the store, "Hi honey."

"He doesn't know?" Henry mouthed.

She shot him a glare but kept the smile on her face as her husband walked in. He took in the scene and her uneasy smile and instead of exposing her decided he wanted to play too. He walked across the room and kissed her.

"Slow day?" he asked and put a hand on her cheek.

"Slow day," she confirmed and sent a glare that told him exactly how hard she wanted to punch him.

He smiled and looked at Henry, "Hello Henry, how are you today?"

The boy looked at her quickly and she shook her head before her husband shot her a quizzical look.

"Have you found a way to get Mrs. Blanchard out of jail yet?"

"Not yet, but I have high hopes that it will be soon," he looked at her, "Things will change before you know it."

Dawn kept his gaze, "What are you doing here, honey?"

"Well I figured that I was done at the sheriff's station and I wanted to stop by and say hello. Oh, and to tell you to come home after work that you weren't cleared for because I have a surprise for you."

"I certainly will look forward to it."

"Wonderful," he said and turned, "Give my regards to your mother."

Henry nodded and waited till he was out the door before turning back to her, "You haven't told him?"

"He knows, but no one else can.," she warned, "That includes Emma. Because Regina finds out that we remember then she might…" Dawn thought of her baby that hidden by an oversized sweater, "Someone could get hurt."

"So I'm right?" he asked, his eyes becoming full of hope

"Yes child," she said watching her husband's retreating form and put a hand on his hand somewhat affectionately, "You've been right all along."


	46. Chapter 46

** Once Upon A Time**

Dagian pulled a bag out from under the bed and started packing her things.

She wasn't going to stay with him, not after this. This was…she didn't even know what to think of this, this crossed a line.

He would try to justify it. He might say that Bae slipped but she knew what she saw. He let him go.

She threw a working dress into the bag and a clean cloak. The one she wore was covered in mud. She opened the small pantry and grabbed a couple of loaves of bread as much fruit as she could get in her bag. Rumpelstiltskin kept the food supply well stocked; he'd done so since he got back. Baelfire had told her that they had barely survived a couple of winters and so since Rumpelstiltskin turned, he always made sure that they were fed.

At the thought of her son, she stopped everything, gripped the table and tried to hold in her emotions.

Bae was gone. It didn't even feel real. It didn't even feel different. She was dreaming. Maybe she'd wake up and she'd be sleeping next to her husband and Bae would be upstairs and they'd continue like they were.

But she didn't wake up and she knew that this was real.

Her legs were shaking and for a second she thought she would have to sit down.

She didn't have time for this. She wanted to be as far away from her husband as she could get before he realized she was gone.

As she reached for her bag just as the door opened and she froze.

"What are you doing Dagian?" she heard him whisper.

"What does it look like?" she said, "You brought me here as a move of goodwill toward Baelfire, and since you let him fall our deal is null and void."

"And where do you think you'd go?"

"Somewhere that's not here."

"I can get him back Dagian."

"He fell in a vortex to another world Rumpelstiltskin, he used the last bean. IF you could get him back then I imagine you wouldn't be here talking with me."

"The Rheul Ghorim told me that there was a curse that existed

She looked at him doubtfully, "Really? The Rheul Ghorim said that?"

He shrugged, "Not in so many words, no. But there is a curse that exists."

She didn't want to hear this. She didn't want to hear his excuses, his false hopes, "Goodbye Rumpelstiltskin."

"You won't get very far," he told her, "I'll bring you back."

She looked at him and sighed in exhaustion, "I'll just leave again. Eventually one of us is going to get bored."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

For years Rumpelstiltskin had made peace with the fact that Dagian would leave him as soon as she woke up.

But even though he knew that would be the reality, the idea that she would pack up and go as soon as she wanted to angered him. It made him feel possessive of her. She was his. He'd made sure that she lived comfortably and content since she woke up here. He hadn't forced her feelings; he hadn't forced their little relationship. It had been like that before they lost Bae. They didn't love each other, he knew that now, but that hadn't stopped them before.

But he could understand how Dagian would think he'd taken advantage of her. He just needed her to understand that there was more 'Dagian' in Dawn and vice versa than she was really thinking about.

He hadn't manipulated her emotions and how she felt about him. Sure he played with her memories but deep down she wasn't that different. Her memories said that he saved her from a father that would probably kill her and she stayed with him in agreement that she would be safe.

He'd done the same in the Realms. He saved her when they first met and everyone thought she was dead and she had actually survived. He'd saved her when he became the Dark One and those men killed her true love and kidnapped her to make a bargain. And she stayed with him because he'd kept her safe. At least for the latter one. She'd stayed with him because she loved him when they first met.

At least for a while.

So what was the plan now? He didn't want to lose her. He did care about her and he saw no point in separating or divorcing with a child on the way and them both wanting the same thing.

Especially since the only person Dagian had was the ten year old Henry whom he'd watched follow Dagian home chattering happily like she was his new best friend.

Gold supposed Henry knew about Dawn's awakening because he avoided her like the plague otherwise.

He lay in bed and stared at the ceiling. Dagian had stayed out well past dinner and so he'd retired back to the room by himself. She wouldn't come home unless she was sure she wouldn't have him waiting for her.

He should claim that she didn't want a fight but he knew differently. He saw it in her eyes earlier; he still saw some semblance of desire. He still saw Dawn in there and her feelings for him. She was worried that he'd win her back. And she could pretend that he couldn't but he was quite confident that he could.

Rumpelstiltskin would get her back. It was only a matter of time before she realized that this was their chance to start over. They could be happy. Sure they had hurt and betrayed each other in the past but this was a comfortable relationship that he didn't really want to give up.

She would realize the same.

He had until Emma broke this curse and defeated Regina to get Dagian's love back. And looking human was an advantage on his side because she associated his human form to times of happiness and nostalgia. That combined with everything they'd been through…

He was reluctant to use their daughter unless absolutely necessary. Regina used her child like he was a toy and she was the biggest child on the playground and refused to let the other children play with it. Rumpelstiltskin hated the way she treated Henry and he wasn't going to hurt his daughter and he wasn't going to hurt his wife by stooping low enough to do the same.

Daughter. What did their new rift mean for her?

It was a thought that plagued him as he drifted off to sleep.

And then the nightmares hit. It was the one that he hated and it was the reason he hardly slept after the incident with Bae and he turned into the dark one.

Bae slipped from his grip and into the vortex. Rumpelstiltskin didn't let go in his nightmares, Bae slipped. And in some ways it made it worse because Rumpelstiltskin not only had to relive what happened but he had to wake up and remember that his dream was different and he had to remember that Bae didn't slip. He let go.

And he heard Bae screaming and Dagian crying and like always he was awakened by his own screams and Dagian shaking him awake.

He sat up and she tensed as if he was going to come out of the bed.

It wasn't until his breathing slowed that he realized that there was a chill in the room. However, he was covered in sweat.

"Are you alright?" Dagian asked.

He lowered his head and nodded, "Just a dream."

She looked at him for a several seconds, it was dark but he could see her eyes going over the conflict in her mind. Finally something won out and she sat next to him on the bed. He realized that you could put another person between them but the fact that she pitied him enough to be this close might as well be a breakthrough.

"Dawn used to wonder about the nightmares," she told him, "When you had them she couldn't sleep for the rest of the night because it was usually the only time you were ever visibly shaken."

Did you dream about Bae?"

"I dream about a lot of things," he said and looked at her. Gods, with her hair undone and her makeup off, she still looked like the beauty that he fell in love with all those years ago, "But that's usually the worst one."

Dagian pulled her robe closer around her and brushed some of her hair back, "I used to dream about Bae shortly after he was gone. I think my screams filled the dark castle but you never came. I was alone there."

"I know," he whispered and looked down. In his vow to love no one and nothing else and at his shame of losing Bae he had neglected Dagian in that large castle. If he hadn't neglected her then he liked to think that things might've been different between them in the long run, "I'm sorry, Dagian. I only…I couldn't look at you afterwards, I was ashamed that I let go of our son. I lost him and it's my fault that everything afterwards happened. "

She looked up at him as if she was stunned. He was being vulnerable to her, now when was the last time he did that?

He looked at her and blinked back tears, "I brought us here for Bae, Dagian. So that we could find him find him. I brought us here so that I could make things right; for him, for you.

"And everything you did to me?"

He swallowed his pride and looked at her, "Dagian, I'm so sorry. I know that nothing can make up for what I did to you, but just give me a chance to make this right."

Even in the dark he could sense her wearied expression, she put her head in her hands. A few minutes of silence passed, "I can't sleep in that bloody bed."

He smiled wryly, "And what do you want to do about that?"

"You do realize that if I crawled in that bed with you it wouldn't mean anything. I just want to sleep."

"Well it's a start," he said, "And just for the record I know nothing will happen dear. I just want to sleep too."

She lay next to him, "Aw, you miss me."

"Well it's not my fault that I can't sleep without your snoring."

"Lovely," she muttered, "Keep your hands to yourself."

"No promises dear."

Rumpelstiltskin didn't fool himself into thinking that their banter was any sign of progress. It was nothing more than a wall that Dagian put up so they didn't talk about things that were truly wrong.

But at least she was talking to him. It was a start.


	47. Chapter 47

**Once Upon A Time**

Dagian didn't make it as far from the village as she would've liked but with no moon out and no stars, Dagian only had the light of the torch to lead her past the forest. And when that burned out and she was too emotionally and physically exhausted to even take another step, she found a spot under some foliage and drifted off into a fitful sleep. She prayed to the gods that she wouldn't ache in the morning and the stiffness in her joints wouldn't slow her down.

When she opened her eyes that morning, she found that the gods might've answered her prayers but not in a way that she really would've wanted.

She woke up to find herself in a strange room in a large bed. Fear shot through her as she surveyed the unfamiliar surroundings and scrambled out of the bed. She wasn't wearing her old clothes, but an embroidered nightgown that was so white that it looked new.

"Welcome home."

She jumped at the sound of the voice and saw her husband sitting in front of the fireplace facing away from her.

She breathed a sigh of relief. Well at least she knew this enemy. She pulled together what was left of her dignity and stood, "What is this?"

"Home."

She looked around. The room was a deep red color with golden etchings carved into the walls and ceiling. The bed was the same color and the wood was a dark reddish brown mahogany. The golden embroidery on the comforter looked hand stitched on but she doubted it was.

She took a step and her foot brushed against the rugs that were spread across the ground.

She looked to her left and there was a large stained window with no way visual way of opening it.

Her husband sat in a large comfortable looking chair facing the largest fireplace that Dagian had ever seen.

Dagian spied a shawl that she recognized it as one of the ones she had made and quickly wrapped it around herself, "Where are we?"

"I've already told you twice," he said, annoyed.

"No," she shook her head, "No, this isn't home."

"Is there something you're unhappy with?"

"Oh, there are a number of things I'm unhappy with," she said angrily, "One being that Bae is gone."

She saw pain in his eyes, but she didn't care. The hate she felt towards him crushed her chest and she wanted him to hurt as much as she herself was hurting, "And you won't let me go and on top of all things you took us away from the house that our son grew up in. Because you don't want to be reminded-."

"Being the dark one comes with certain responsibilities and conflicts that put the lives and freedoms of myself and my family in danger. Isolation is the best solution-"

"Oh don't give me that. You just don't want to be surrounded by memories of what you lost."

"Don't pretend that you cared for our son because you left Dagian. You left fourteen years ago. You broke your vows to me and you abandoned your son as soon as it was hard."

"My gods, are you really going to hold this over my head in order to make yourself feel better that you dropped our son down a vortex into a world that he won't recognize because you broke your word? Don't talk about how I failed him when you've failed him just as much I as I have. Maybe even worse since he was supposed to trust you!"

He stood angrily but she held her ground and gave him almost a look as seething as the one he was giving her, "I'd be careful what you say next."

She held his gaze, "Let me go."

"I can't." he said, "You're a weakness and they'll come after you. Or did you forget two times they tried to kill you?"

"And is this the punishment that you've decided for me?" she demanded, "The punishment of me leaving all those years ago is to force me to stay now in a place I don't recognize with nothing holding us together anymore? Or is this how you're going to punish yourself? To lock yourself up in a stone castle full of everything you could ever give me, except for our son?"

"There's a way that we can get him back and this is the perfect place to start," he said, "There's a library and a-"

"And what will this curse take?" she asked.

He was quiet, "If I don't find a way to make you ageless then you could very well be dead for decades before I perfect it."

"That's not what I mean, what's the price?"

"We'll have to sacrifice this world to move on to his."

The weight of the words settled down on her. She knew about curses, not a lot but she felt that she had some knowledge considering she was married to a walking one. She knew that he didn't mean that _they _were going to sacrifice this world; he meant that their home…this place would have to probably be destroyed to get there. Lives would be torn apart, the price would be astronomical.

But this was their son that they were talking about. Dagian was not a good person; she'd accepted that a long time ago. And her mistakes were ones that she would never be able to live down and that haunted her every day. But her son was the one good decision that she'd made and she wanted him back, "Do it."

He looked up at her, "Do you understand how far we'd have to go to get this done?"

"Don't pretend like you're asking for my permission or assistance because I know that you've already decided this was the route you were going to take with or without me," she said, "But whatever you have to do…whatever decisions you have to make, if it brings us back our son faster then do it."

"People will get hurt."

"I don't care."

"Oh," he said in recognition, "That's certainly a different tune than what you've sung in the past."

"Because it's our son," she said simply and turned.

"I would have to leave for days at a time to find the information that I need. How do I know that as soon as I'm gone, you won't find a way over the wall and escape?"

Yeah, as if he'd let her go for a long period of time. She was quite surprised he was even bringing this up; she figured he'd just lock her in the castle.

But she knew what he was doing. He was trying to get her word that she wouldn't run off if he looked for their son so he would have something to hold her to.

Very well, she would humor him and find a way to escape later. She had stayed with him long enough to learn about loopholes. If she had his trust then she could find a way to escape.

She looked at him, "If you find a way to get our son back, then I won't run away."

"Good dear," He sat back satisfied, "That's all I ask."

And while he and Dagian watched the fire, she kept her calm demeanor.

But inside, she was clamoring for a way out of this.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

The 'no touch' rule only lasted about till two in the morning. Dagian woke up sometime during the night to find her husband's arms around her while he slept. And she might've pulled away if she wasn't tired and didn't find comfort in the touch. His hand rested protectively on her stomach like he was shielding the baby. He'd done that when she carried Bae as well. Even before he'd been dragged off to war they'd slept like this.

He didn't do this with Dawn though

And she pulled the blanket over her shoulder and dropped off to sleep a little too easily than she would've liked.

When she woke up again and the sun was starting to rise and her husband's arms were still wrapped around her and much to her annoyance sometime during the night she had turned over in her sleep and tucked herself into his side.

Not the worst way to wake up but definitely far from the best.

She shifted to sit up and her husband's eyes flew open and looked around, "Sleep well darling?"

She didn't answer but her silence was affirmation and his eyes danced gleefully. A smug smile played on his lips.

"I suppose we' should start talking about where we stand."

"I thought I made that clear," she said.

He looked a bit hurt, "Are you really that unhappy? You don't seem that willing to leave, I have to admit I'm getting mixed signals."

"I'm only staying because from what I understand Regina's quite dangerous. And I know what she did to Graham."

Dagian stopped and cursed herself when she gave that away, her husband looked at her confused. He'd never hinted that Regina had killed the sheriff to her. Bae had done that.

"You didn't answer my question," He pointed out.

"And what question would that be?"

"Are you really as unhappy as what you say you are? You have a roof over your head, food, safety and security, a baby on the way which is what you wanted, and I could give you anything you wanted-"

"And do you love me?"

"In my own way; yes. It may not be the completely pure sacrificial overrated love that defines everything and everyone here but I do love you."

"I Hope you'll understand why I don't find that comforting."

He rubbed her arm and pulled her closer; she didn't pull away from him. She wondered if it was because she actually found comfort with him or because of the hold that he'd had on her since he was the Dark One.

"Dagian, you have to understand that there was very little I could do to ensure your protection these past 28 years."

"The fact that we stayed married isn't what angers me Rumpelstiltskin, it's the fact that you didn't trust me enough to leave me awake while you played house with another woman's memory and personality in my body."

She saw shame in his eyes and she knew that he finally started to understand what he'd done to her. Wordlessly, he rested her hand on the side of her face and brushed a tear away from her face.

"Dagian, forgive me," he whispered and she saw his walls start to crumble, "I'm sorry."

Dagian knew what he was probably telling her what she wanted to hear in order to manipulate her. She knew that most of the time he looked at her like he looked at everyone else. A diversion. Something of a toy and a pawn and the only reason he was probably fighting for her now was because he didn't like losing things that he thought belonged to him.

"Simple words aren't going to work this time Rumpelstiltskin," she said, "If you're going to win me back then you're going to have to work for it. And no bullying, controlling, or material wealth is going to work this time. You won't be able to buy my love."

"And you'd take me back?" he asked. His implication was clear. What better way to get her revenge by making him bend over backwards to get her back and then refusing him?

"I don't know," she said, "I haven't decided yet."

In truth Dagian had considered his offer many times these past couple of days. Neither really belonged in either world, both had the same goals. If he truly cared about her like he claimed he did then he would keep her safe. And why wouldn't they try again? They knew each other almost better than they knew themselves. Or at least she thought she knew him. Frankly, from what she'd seen thus far, he hadn't seemed to change that much personality wise since she last saw him.

But he gave her a different personality and memories at got her pregnant. That was something that she just couldn't ignore.

Just for that she should just pack up and leave but there were other wolves about that were greater threats.

"A courtship?" he asked with raised eyebrows, "Well at least it'll be something to do while I wait for everyone to get in place. And since you've decided to take all the fun out of this, what exactly are you looking for?"

Well a courtship wasn't EXACTLY what she had in mind, but she supposed she could just go with it. She and the baby had been feeling the effects of the stress she'd been under these past few days. Maybe this would ease some of that. She couldn't spend the next three months completely hating him for what he'd done to her. Well, she could but she didn't want to risk her daughter's health. She'd had enough problems with this pregnancy. If anything him trying it win her back might result in less fighting, "Well, you're smart Rumpelstiltskin. Figure it out."

"Aw, you're really not going to make it easy are you?"

"Well you did it once; I think you can do it again."

"Only once?" he asked. He was feigning hurt, but she knew that she what she was probably about to say would definitely twist the knife.

"Well you didn't expect me to fall in love with you when you turned into the dark one and forced me to stay as a gesture of goodwill to Bae, did you?"

"You told him you'd stay for him."

"I did," she confirmed, "But I also didn't expect you to let me leave."

"Well things are different now," He said.

She doubted that but she let him continue.

"I suppose I'll have to get back to basics," he said and kissed her temple.

"There's just one thing," Dagian said, "IF it doesn't work out then you let me walk away."

He stopped and tried to decide what his best move would be, "Well if we go this way dear, I'm not going to be the only one working at this. You have some redemption to do as well."

She raised her eyebrows, "Ah, so you want me to try and seduce you to my side."

"Of course dear," he said with a smirk, "You left your claw marks in me as well."

"Hm," she returned the smirk, "Well if this doesn't work out at least it'll pass the time."

"Oh, now how will we succeed if you have that attitude?" he asked and kissed her cheek.

She cringed, it was a bit too early for those kinds of gestures, "You better get dressed darling, you're going to be late for work."

"Wouldn't you rather us just spend the day in bed, darling?"

"No," she said, "I have things to do. Mary Margaret's invited us to her little party tonight to celebrate Kathryn's return…which I'm guessing you had something to do with."

"You want to go to their little party?" he asked in amusement.

"Well you were her lawyer," she said. In truth she didn't care about most of the people there. She just wanted to see Bae. She hadn't really seen him lately and they needed to figure out their next plan.

If this didn't work out with Rumpelstiltskin (and to face reality, it never had), then she would need a place to live. She couldn't take that house; it had far too many memories.

From how Bae acted, he hardly wanted anything to do with his father right now. And it would probably be that way until they worked on their relationship.

"If you wish it darling, I suppose I can force myself," he said, his voice held hints of irritation which shouldn't have pleased her as much as it did, "This isn't winning any points for me in your favor though."

"Really?" she asked, "Hm. That's too bad. You're winning points with me."


	48. Chapter 48

** Once Upon A Time**

A month passed in this bloody castle and Dagian thought she was going out of her mind.

The stone walls and floor and glass were beautiful and Dagian wondered how long it had taken Rumpelstiltskin to even think about all this and conjure it up. But the only thing it made her feel like was that she was living in a beautifully decorated tomb.

It was so cold here and so isolating. When she was growing up, her father had been able to afford wooden floors as opposed to the dirt ones that most of the village had. She'd grown up with the smell of wood and stone and when she married Rumpelstiltskin and even after she left him and went out on her own she had grown accustomed to the feel and smell of the dirt and straw under her feet.

But the only wooden floor was in the dining room, the rest was stone on stone which enforced the feeling of isolation and loneliness. No feel of rough wood under her feet or dirt and straw the latter of which had stuck her feet sometimes. No, she either walked on rich carpets that didn't feel right for her to step on or the cold stone floors.

So Dagian spent most of her time in the garden. She tried to tend it but she couldn't make anything grow. Rumpelstiltskin had to conjure everything since it wouldn't grow naturally with him around.

Just another thing that wasn't hers.

Even the clothes were constricting. Rumpelstiltskin had destroyed her old ones and now she dressed as a nobleman's wife and she hated it. Dagian swore that she never wore so many underclothes at one time in her entire life and it restricted her breathing and freedom of movement.

She didn't complain to her husband though. She didn't want to talk to him and if there were words exchanged then they weren't going to be ones of complaint. She still had some of her pride left after all. And besides, it felt like the showers of gifts were somehow his attempts to atone for what she did. It felt wrong to rob him of that.

She didn't complain because at least he was trying. She watched him in his library as he poured over books on curses, and he worked on perfecting one that would get them to their son. And Dagian would endure corsets nearly suffocating her and breaking her ribs if it meant she had at least a hope of seeing her son again.

"I'm leaving."

Dagian was pulled out of her thoughts and looked over her shoulder while her husband was spinning at the wheel. She wasn't surprised by this little revelation. In fact if he didn't tell her himself, then she wouldn't know when he was there and when he wasn't. Their interactions were nonexistent, the days were so silent. Rumpelstiltskin had tried to talk to her after he brought her here but when she wasn't giving him looks of seething hatred, she was catatonic. So, he had given up and left her alone.

And while she appreciated that because she could hardly look at him anymore, it was a very lonely life to lead and she hated him for it.

She didn't mind the silence as long as it was around him but she was in need of some kind of company. The month that she spent up here felt like an eternity. And there was a town at the bottom of the mountain, but she knew Rumpelstiltskin would think that was leaving and try to lock her up even tighter and with the argument that she broke her deal.

She stared ahead into the fire. He was leaving. Good, that gave her more time for what she had in mind, "How long?"

"A week."

"Oh," she replied, "What are you going to do?"

"Make alliances, make deals. There's some research I need to do for the dark curse that they can give me."

"Why can't you just go in there and take it."

"Now darling, what kind of guest would I be?" he said with a sneer, "Deals are far more fun anyway."

_Until you break them when it gets too threatening,_ she wanted to say but she kept her mouth shut. She wasn't in the mood to fight with him.

Dagian stood, "Goodnight Rumpelstiltskin."

She walked towards her chambers, her husband wouldn't follow her. He didn't even touch her anymore. He didn't need to sleep so he hardly went to his own chambers unless it was to change.

Dagian went there once and she'd seen a reason why he didn't go in there often. Mirrors, tables, things that had once been in their small cabin lay scattered and broken as if he couldn't bear the sight of them but he couldn't bear to throw them away.

But Bae's things and clothes were put away. Dagian knew that Rumpelstiltskin did go in that room to remember but Dagian couldn't bring herself to do it. She could hardly sleep without remembering her son's screams as his father let him go, being in the same room with his things would probably make things worse instead of helping her to heal. Besides, she didn't have time to sit in that room and mope, she had to get things together.

Because Rumpelstiltskin had taught her far more than he realized. He wasn't the only one that understood loopholes and ways to get out of a deal and if all went well then Rumpelstiltskin was not going to get his way in this little deal they'd made a month ago.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Gold stood under the staircase of Mary Margaret's apartment and watched his wife make awkward small talk with the other guests.

She hated these bloody social gatherings. She always had, even when they were first married she had wanted to get married as soon as possible, and she didn't care about inviting anyone else in the village.

Well, he mused with a small secret smile, avoiding a large crowed was ONE of the reasons Dagian wanted to get married before morning.

But she insisted they come much to his displeasure. She told him that it was their duty since he was Mary Margaret's lawyer and she wanted to learn how to socialize since she'd been stuck with these people for 28 years.

That was a lie; she dragged him to this to spite him.

He looked to the biker sitting at the table with the Mills boy and struggled not to throw up. August Booth, what a pretentious ridiculous name. Did he honestly expect anyone to buy that?

It was one thing to invade Gold's privacy but it was another thing entirely to drag the boy into it. The Mills boy didn't have a strong male role model in his life thanks to his adopted mother; Gold didn't exactly feel comfortable with the fact that August used a ten year old in his plan to get what he wanted.

At least Gold had the decency to use full grown adults who had a choice and knew somewhat of what they were getting into.

And then there was the relationship between the biker and his wife. He didn't understand what was going on between them but he didn't think it was sexual or intimate. Dagian wasn't that way. She'd seen the recruiter off and on for the fourteen years that she'd left him and she'd told him they never consummated it because of her guilt of leaving him and Bae. He doubted she'd betray him while she lived in their house and carried his child. If that was the case, he had no doubt she would've packed up and gone to the inn with him when their marriage hit the rocks.

So then what was it? Friendship? No, it looked like it was something more.

So if it wasn't romantic or friendship then what was it? He figured he could ask Dagian but he wasn't in the mood to start up a fight, he'd just prevented another break in today.

He watched the biker walk over to his wife and start talking to her and Mary Margaret.

Whatever they were sharing together, Gold didn't like it. The man knew something and he didn't like the idea of someone else knowing something he didn't while trying to meddle in his business and trying to make connections with his family.

He watched as Emma kicked that idiot husband of Snow's out as politely as she could while sending her son to walk him home so he didn't get lost or something.

August made a deadly mistake by including him in whatever plans he had.

Tomorrow he was going to follow him. Whatever agenda the man had he was clearly starting to put it in motion.

Besides, he wasn't just doing this for him. HE was doing it for Dagian. The only reason she was still living with him now was because he was keeping her safe. He'd be breaking his word if he let her newfound friend or whatever he was hurt her.

Perhaps Emma would give him the answers he wanted. He started walking toward her and noticed his wife put her hand on her stomach slightly as Mary said something pertaining to the baby. He felt a surge of protectiveness surge through him.

No, he was going to stop this now. This man wasn't going to hurt his wife; Gold had done that too many times himself. Whatever he thought of his wife and whatever she thought of him and herself, she at least deserved an easy pregnancy.

And he was going to ensure at least that for her.

And if it meant cutting this man's throat and leaving him out in the woods if he didn't like the answers to his questions then he was more than willing to do that.

"Hard to let him go isn't it?" he put up his wall and put his energy on reminding Emma of her loss so he wouldn't focus on his own, "Your son…"

0000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000

Dagian put her hand on her stomach and walked to the master bedroom that night. Her husband looked up from the book he was reading and smirked, "Well I didn't think you were ever coming."

She scowled, "Don't get your hopes up, I just want to sleep."

Without looking up from his book, he pulled back the covers, "I kept the pillows fluffed for you."

She sat back and placed her hand on her stomach. He put his hand on her back to keep her steady, "You overdid it, didn't you?"

"My feet are just a little swollen," she said but he could hear the exhaustion in her voice.

She lay down and he wrapped his arms around her. She tensed slightly but relaxed when he put his hand on her stomach. The move wasn't to make Dagian uncomfortable and angry but while she couldn't sleep unless he was nearby, he couldn't sleep unless he knew that his wife and baby were right next to him.

Rumpelstiltskin thought Dagian had fallen asleep but just as he was dropping off himself, Dagian put her hand on his, "Would Regina really hurt our baby?"

"She sent countless children into the home of a blind witch to retrieve an apple to torture a girl that she held a grudge for since the girl was twelve. I'm sure murdering our baby because it could mean our happy ending would be nothing to her."

Dagian was quiet and so Rumpelstiltskin moved his hand so he could feel his daughter kicking, "You should've seen her face when she saw you and I walking down the street when he first woke up here though. She about had an aneurysm over the idea at me having a wife and she just had a horrible time of figuring out who you were.

Despite herself, Dagian smiled and snickered and he laughed as well and buried his face in his hair.

She turned over on her back and placed her hand on his chest, "Rumpelstiltskin there's something I need to tell you."

"Hm?" he asked and tilted his head. Oh, they were going to be honest with each other were they? That was certainly something different from the normal.

Dagian almost told him about Bae and then hesitated. He had asked her not to tell her husband. He'd told her that he wanted to reveal his identity himself.

Then why was he taking so long?

But Dagian couldn't betray Bae's wishes. Not like this. She's already failed him so many times that she couldn't just tell her husband that his own son stared him in the fact today and he didn't even know it. Bae had taken her aside and promised her that he'd tell him soon, she didn't have to carry this secret any longer. He'd brought them here because he wanted to find his son. Dagian didn't know the extent of his sins, but he'd done all this for their son. It just felt wrong that they were dangling a carrot in front of him. Expecting him to walk but he could never reach his goal.

So she didn't. why was that surprising? She was a coward just like him, "I think we should name our daughter Lily."

He frowned for a second, obviously disappointed but he rested his hand on his wife's face, "I think that's a lovely name."


	49. Chapter 49

** Once Upon A Time**

Dagian searched her husband's library for the book that she was looking for and upon finding it, pulled it out and dumped it on her table.

He left her with far too much time by herself.

She grabbed the vials that she would need. It had taken her a month to figure out and learn just what she would need. Luckily Rumpelstiltskin hadn't anticipated that she'd do something like this otherwise he'd lock his library up a lot better.

She poured herself a nice strong drink and sipped it as she went to work. What she was about to do was wrong and she knew that she was going to most likely regret it

She'd force herself to repent for it later.

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Rumpelstiltskin waved his hand and the doors opened before him.

He'd found it; not a way to find Bae he was still working on that. He did a way to make Dagian untouched by time. She wouldn't have to worry about growing old and dying before she could see their son.

She wouldn't be happy about it, the potion would put her in extreme pain but it was the closest thing that he could find for her.

He didn't want to see her in that much agony but he knew that she would probably go through with it in order to have just a hope of seeing Baelfire again.

"Dagian," he opened the door and found her lying in bed. He hoped that she hadn't regressed into how she was when he just brought her here. He had barley gotten a word out of her for days.

Her back was to him and she didn't move when he called her name. He stopped and tilted his head. She was such a light sleeper; she would've woken if he stormed in here like he just did.

"Dagian?" he asked.

She didn't move.

"Dagian," he said, rushed to her side and felt her neck for a pulse.

There wasn't one and she wasn't breathing.

To the human eye, she would look like she was dead. But he could sense that just underneath what looked like an empty shell, her life force was still there.

"Oh Dagian, what did you do?" he demanded and found an empty vial on the floor.

He touched the liquid and smelled it. Panic and anger filled him and looked at his sleeping wife.

"Oh no you don't," he whispered and gathered her in his arms. Her head rolled sickeningly backwards and he had to support it.

The sleeping curse. She'd taken the sleeping curse to get away from him.

He supported her head with one arm and kissed her. They were true loves, he didn't know that for sure but they had to be. How else would they keep meeting like they did? How else would their fates be so intertwined if they weren't?

She didn't open her eyes.

No, no, no, no, no.

He let her fall back on her bed and he put his head in his hands. He couldn't wake her up. This meant that they weren't true loves. So if he wasn't her true love then who was? Filib? The recruiter that she had gotten engaged to right before they'd crossed paths again?

But he was dead.

Oh gods, this was his fault. He'd told her multiple times that because of how their paths crossed they were true loves and she obviously finally believed him.

She wasn't going to wake up.

And he didn't keep that potion available on hand; he was worried that Dagian would figure it out. He'd known that she was in his library; he just hadn't expected her to do this.

She stayed true to the deal they made. She hadn't left him. At least not physically. She'd be with him for as long as he wanted her there. And in the meantime she would be free of being with him. She's one-upped him and he had to admit that it was almost well done. If he hadn't underestimated her then this never would've happened.

But she'd just made a mistake of a lifetime because if she knew what she'd dream about…if she knew beforehand that she'd be trapped in her own regrets forever she wouldn't have done that.

He moved from the bed and sat on the chair. He watched her sleeping body as if he were somehow hoping that she'd wake up

How in the name of the gods was he going to stay anchored in this endeavor if the last fragments of his normalcy were gone?

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**Present Day**

August wasn't Bae.

Gold walked into the house slowly and ran a shaking hand through his hair. He'd allowed himself to believe that his son was…

Gold stopped and rested is hand on the bannister. He should've known something was amiss. He should've realized that it was too easy but he let his emotions and his hope and his attempts for redemption cloud his judgment.

He shouldn't have been this stupid. He wasn't like this, he wasn't like them. Ever since the situation with Moe French he had felt like he wasn't as on his game as he should have been. Oh sure he got Regina right where he wanted her to be but she was also an overemotional idiot and it didn't take every ounce of intelligence that he had to fool her.

He would've gone upstairs to look for his wife but luckily he heard the roaring fire before he took the first step up. HE was really glad of that because after walking in the woods, shoving August against the tree and then having to walk a few steps to get his cane, his leg was killing him.

Dagian was sleeping on the couch. It didn't look very comfortable but she'd brought a pillow and a blanket downstairs. No doubt she was waiting for him and August to come home. She wanted to be there and ready so that they could all sit down and talk like they should have done years ago.

Or rather they would have if there was a family to speak of. August was a liar and he wasn't Bae so he was going to have to prepare her for disappointment.

What kind of a man looked a regretful father in the eye who was begging for his son's forgiveness and pretend he was that man's son just so he could find a cure for whatever he was dying from?

Gold knew that he wasn't a saint but this just crossed the line.

He watched his sleeping wife for a minute or two and everything that he'd put her through, everything that he'd done to her came crashing down on him and he sat down on the coffee table right next to where his wife was sleeping.

"Dagian," he whispered and put his hand on her shoulder.

She stirred at his touch and opened her eyes, "Rumpelstiltskin?"

He moved to her side and put his hand on the side of her face. He felt his guilt amplify at the hopeful look in her eyes.

His emotions broke the hope for the reuniting with his son, the grief, guilt, and hope that came with said reuniting and the crushing blow when he realized it was a lie. IT all just…overwhelmed him and he wrapped his arms around Dagian, "Dagian, forgive me. I'm so sorry."

Dagian was taken back from the gesture but returned it. She must've realized that unlike the last time he'd apologized to her, he was starting to tell the truth

"I'm sorry too," she whispered and pulled away, "I should never have left you when Bae was born, I should never have taken the sleeping potion. I was scared and angry and I hated you but that didn't make it right. There could've been a different way."

Gold nodded, well now here came the hard part.

He took her hand and drew in a heavy breath, "He's not Bae."

He watched the hope in her eyes slowly crumble to dust and she sat up straighter, "No."

"No," she shook her head, "He's Bae. He remembers the things-"

"No he's not dear. Someone told him about it, but he's certainly not Bae," he looked at her.

"How do you know?"

"He tried to use my magic against me, something Bae would never do."

Dagian's jaw trembled and she put her head in her hands and started sobbing.

He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to his chest, "Dagian-."

"But my memories came back when he hugged me-."

He lowered his head, "It might have had something to do with the baby growing, it might've been that he took an interest in you and saw you for you and not just my wife which you know as something you'd always wanted."

"But he looks like him."

"I know, Dagian I swear I wanted this to be true as much as you did. I wouldn't lie about something like this."

Guilt crossed Dagian face and she didn't have to confess it for him to know.

"How long did you think he was Bae?"

"Does it matter?" she asked.

"No," He told her honestly. In truth he knew that the answer would anger him, "I'd like to know anyway."

"I knew pretty soon after I got my memories back."

That long? He lowered his head, "And you didn't tell me?"

"He asked me not to," she whispered and looked at him in guilt, "I obeyed his wishes."

Of course the little lying imposter didn't want Rumpelstiltskin knowing about this. He would've found out that August was lying about his identity in about two minutes if August hadn't been trying to act mysterious the whole bloody time.

"Dagian," he whispered and put her forehead against his, "Bae's still out there, you know. We'll find him."

"How can you be sure? Centuries passed since Bae disappeared-."

"I controlled it to where we'd land in the same time period he lives in. We'll find him."

Dagian looked up at him and he placed a gentle kiss on her. It wasn't meant to be intimate or anything like that, it was just a way to give and seek out comfort.

Dagian responded and returned the kiss. He immediately pulled her closer and deepened the kiss. This had always been their relationship hadn't it? Well not always, he liked to think that part of their marriage had love in it. But he knew that wouldn't be the case now. One sought out comfort and escape, the other granted it. That was the extent of the relationship now.

But doing something they would both regret in the morning was the exact opposite of what they were trying to go for together.

Both realized that this would be a bad idea at about the same time and they both pulled back. Dagian folded her hands in front of her and placed them in front of her mouth, "I'm sorry."

"It was my fault," he said, "I lost…control."

She shook her head and stood, "I'll be back."

"Where are you going?"

"To clear my head," she muttered and grabbed her coat.

"IT's dangerous out there."

She shook her head, "Well I certainly can't stay here Rumpelstiltskin. My feelings for you, Dawn's feelings for who she thought was Mr. Gold. It's muddling up everything and sometimes it's hard to separate the two."

He braced himself, "Then what do you propose we do?"

"I don't know," she said and rubbed her temples, "And that's why I Need to go."

He put his head in his hands and stared at the fire.

He should go after her, convince her to come back so that they could talk.

But he knew that this would do more harm than good.


	50. Chapter 50

**Once Upon A Time**

The hours passed on and the more Rumpelstiltskin stared at his cursed wife, the more the grief diminished and the anger grew.

He had been good to her. He'd given her a home and shelter from the people that wanted her hurt or dead. He'd let her near their son even though she'd lost her right to him when she abandoned them. He'd allowed himself to become vulnerable around her; he was willing to act like her husband again. He'd taken chance after chance and all the while Dagian dragged her feet and reprimanded him every time he'd killed someone. Well it's not like he did it to people that were innocent; he only did it to those that wronged them, hurt them, or was a threat in some other way. IT's not like he WANTED to kill them, he just didn't understand why Dagian didn't understand that.

And he could understand Dagian's reluctance to trust him after he let Bae go. He hated himself far more than she could ever hate him. He knew he was guilty and he knew it was all his fault and he couldn't look at his wife or talk to her because he was scared that if she looked at him like he looked at himself then he'd try to find a way to get himself killed.

But he was trying to atone for it. He was trying to find a way to get them to that world without magic and Dagian knew that. He promised her that she'd see their son again and he stayed by his vows. Unlike Dagian who broke them almost as soon as she made them.

Filib, the recruiter flashed in his mind and he made a fist in jealousy. Where would she have been if those men had never found her? No doubt she'd have a new family and she'd have forgotten the one that she left behind.

A dark fury took over and he looked at his wife. He would seal the door to her chambers, and he would forget for the time being. As far as he was concerned, she wasn't married to him anymore.

At least not in this world.

But he'd found a curse, or the possibility of one that would erase everyone's memories for a limited time. And he would use it to make his wife pay for breaking one too many vows and abandoning him yet again.

He wouldn't touch her because if he did then he risked forgiving her and falling for her again. He wasn't going to make the same mistake. He would use those 28 years to make her miserable. He would break her.

And then when the curse was over with, and he was satisfied with her humiliation then he'd leave her by herself in that land and he'd find his son.

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**Present Day**

Dagian couldn't be in this town because she risked Regina finding out that she remembered and Regina might try to use her to hurt Rumpelstiltskin. Dagian knew that.

But she also knew that she couldn't spend another minute in that house without going down the same path that she'd been down twice before.

Dagian knew that she didn't love him. She couldn't say that enough. She'd loved him once before the dark one curse. She was still working out her feelings when he was the dark one. At best, she knew that she cared for him and she was just trying to keep herself from hurt when she told him that their relationship was just one of comfort. At worst, their relationship HAD been just one of comfort and the only reason that it lasted as long as it did was because she had some kind of Stockholm syndrome and her word to Bae that she'd stay as long as he did.

However, Bae was gone and she now had the freedom to leave him. She didn't love him, it was simple as that.

But her alternate personality, the one that DID love him had other ideas. Dawn had memories of a softer side of Gold. Not the false memories, but the actual 28 years. She had memories of Gold comforting her through every migraine (an after effect of the potion), she remembered him holding her hand through every pregnancy test even though he knew the results every time. Dagian could easily say that he'd just played along but there was something sincere in his eyes.

Dagian knew that she'd gone over this in her mind a hundred times. She knew that it would be too easy to go back to him. To give her daughter a father. To give their child two parents instead of one every other weekend. AT least one of their children would have both of them for support.

But she couldn't just stay with him for their daughter. She'd tried that already and it didn't work.

So Dagian was going to leave him. At the very least she was going to move out so that she could untangle the feelings of Dawn and herself towards her husband.

It was over, it was over, it was over. Dagian knew she'd promised her husband that they'd court each other but she wasn't sure if she could go through with it.

Granny kept the front door to the Inn unlocked because there wasn't anything of value there and she trusted everyone here.

Dagian walked right through it and walked up the stairs to her son…no…August's room and banged as hard as she could on the door, "Don't pretend you're not in there you little lying coward, I can hear your terrified breathing from here." 

Someone opened the door and she glared towards it until they closed it again. Probably Leroy got so drunk he forgot where he lived again.

Oh the rumor mill was going to be in full force tomorrow.

August opened the door and she could've sworn that he actually looked regretful.

She didn't buy it. Before he could open his mouth, she punched him as hard as she could in the face, shoved him in his room, followed him in, and slammed the door behind her.

"You have one chance," she said and pulled out a gun.

"Rumpelstiltskin wants me alive."

"Wrong answer," she replied, pulled back on the trigger release.

"I'm dying."

"Don't care." 

"I didn't want to hurt you." 

"Well see, now that's where you're wrong," she snapped, "Because you did know what you were doing since we met in that supermarket, you did know what you were doing when you claimed to be my lost son and you put even more of a rift between my husband and myself when you told me that as my son you had a right to tell him your identity when you wanted to. You knew what you were doing, and you knew that it would hurt me and you did it anyway and you didn't care. And now that everything's blown up in your face, you want to sit there and claim that you didn't want to hurt me." 

"Dagian."

"See, I know you probably don't know much about sleeping curses what with you being…well gods knows who you are but here's the thing; I saw my regrets. I saw every one of them. Everything from failures with my husband, to my failure to be there for him and my son. I saw _everything_. I saw every moment I missed. Everything Rumpelstiltskin and Bae told me about. I swear I saw it as if I was there. And then I was haunted by watching my son fall into that vortex over and over for centuries. And to make matters worse? It still feels like I just fell asleep maybe yesterday even though I know I've been asleep for centuries so Bae's loss still feels incredibly fresh."

"I'm-"

"And you come in here and you pretend you care about me as a person so you can get close to that bloody dagger, and you claim you're my son. Give me a reason why I shouldn't put a bullet in your head right now."

"Because I might be the only one to get the savior to trust the fact that every fairy tale she's ever heard is real." 

"Yeah, well here's the other problem," she said with a vicious smirk, "The only thing I care about is surviving, getting my son back, and protecting my daughter. I don't care about that bloody curse or the blonde that you seem to think will suddenly change her mind and help us all." 

"I needed that dagger to survive."

"And I'm supposed to suddenly sympathize with you?"

"I was sort of hoping that you'd realize that you've made mistakes in your life too and let me live."

"Well if you're dying then I guess I could just be putting you out of your misery," she shrugged, "But first I do have to know…who are you?" 

She saw him going over the dilemma in his mind and he drew in a breath, "I'm Pinocchio."

She tiled her head, "You're a little wooden boy that turns into a jackass?"

"Interesting wording, but yes." 

_Oh, now that was utterly disappointing. She was hoping for something a little more spectacular. _

"On the contrary, I think it's pretty accurate," she said and lowered the gun.

"You're going to let me live?" he asked, but he didn't seem surprised.

"I changed my mind," she said, "Whatever you're dying from…as long as you suffer, its fine by me. What are you dying from anyway?"

"I'm paying for my mistakes, much like you are." 

He pulled his pant leg up and she raised her eyebrow as she saw that his leg was completely made of wood.

"Well," Dagian said with a smirk, "Quite fitting, I think."

"Oh please Dagian," he snapped, "What's the worst thing you've ever done to get what you want? Or escape it?"

"Hm," she mused and put the gun at her wasteband, "I have a better fate in mind for you."

He paled.

"I think I might ask my husband to let me use you for firewood," she said with a smirk, "Or perhaps I'll let him put you in the shop with your arms around those ugly little puppets that Dawn never convinced him to get rid of. Well I haven't quite decided your fate but I think that we'll work something out. How ironic would it be if that's what made him and me closer?"

She opened the door and left.

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Dagian felt the gun pressing against her back as she walked down the stairs of the inn and found her husband waiting for her at the curb.

"Did you kill him?" he asked when she approached. He leaned against the car and she could see that he had all his weight on his good leg.

His face was emotionless but she could see the pain in his eyes.

"No," she said, "I didn't kill him."

"I suspected you didn't have it in you."

"I'm a runner not a killer."

He smiled at her dark humor and then grew serious, "Are you alright?"

"Of course I am," she said and put her hand on her stomach, "He's Pinocchio."

"How do you know he wasn't lying?" 

"He showed me his leg. To say he's going green would be an understatement."

"Ah, well I suppose I'll bring his father to the shop and then call him in. Let him know that I'm aware of his identity as well," he looked down and grew serious, "You should have told me." 

"I know," she whispered, "I'm sorry."

He held out his hand and she took it, he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. It wasn't intimate, nor did it have a chance to be. Dagian could sense that wall that he'd put up.

She embraced him and he buried his face in her hair.

"I don't think this is going to work," she whispered.

Yes darling," he said, "I think I know." 


	51. Chapter 51

Dagian rested her hand on her stomach and felt the child kick as she accepted a glass of warm milk from her husband.

"I suppose we have a lot to talk about," he said and sat on the couch next to her.

"I don't want us to leave each other on bad terms," Dagian said, "I want us to be civil. If we're going to be stuck in this bubble for God knows how long then I don't want us clashing heads constantly so let's sit here and talk. If for anything, our baby will be needing two parents who love her and if she sees us fighting constantly-."

"Of course," he said, "Of course you'll need a home. I won't have you raising our baby in the Inn."

"There's a small house on Braxton that I can afford easily enough," she said.

He looked up, "Afford?"

"Well, I've been collecting a paycheck every month for 28 years," she reminded him, "And you always insisted that we live on your money, so I've got a nice amount saved up."

Despite their agreement to be civil, he found himself getting angry, "I'm not going to have you paying me rent just to live on the land either."

"And if I'm going to make it in this town then I'm going to do it because I worked for it. Not because I was your wife once. I don't want you to make allowances for charity for me when you won't make it for anyone else-."

"No one else is the mother of my children," he reminded her, "You use that money for furniture, and things for the baby. I'd offer but I know you'll snap my head off at the idea even though that child is technically half of me."

She frowned, she didn't want to live off his dime any more than possible but she knew that he'd never stand for her paying for everything. He was the baby's father and he was going to help her whether she liked it or not.

"Alright," she whispered. She knew it was wrong to refuse his attempts to help, "And what about custody of the baby?" 

He looked at her in confusion, "I thought it'd be shared but you'd be the one she lived with"

Dagian looked embarrassed and looked down in shame, "To be honest, I'm surprised you're even letting me keep her without fighting me."

"Well why wouldn't I?" he asked, "When you actually were a mother, you weren't too bad at it. And I can't exactly feed her when she wakes up at night now can I? And how exactly do you expect me to carry a crying baby with both arms, with my bad leg and bounce her to sleep at night now can I?"

"Then how do you expect to have shared custody? She'll be spending some nights with you, you know"

"Still working on that," he said, "Perhaps when she's older."

"Make me do all the work, huh?" she teased.

"Now don't be like that darling," he reminded her, "Do you remember when you gave birth to Bae? Hm? And when he'd wake up at night, he was hard to get back to sleep? And you remember every time that I offered to take him after you fed him you'd practically bite my head off? Like I'd do something like that again."

"Perhaps when she's eating solids and sleeping through the night." 

"Perhaps," he said and took a sip of his own milk, "And I can come whenever I want to see her?"

"Well, you're her father, aren't you?" she asked.

Dagian looked down and watched her baby's foot move across her stomach, "And what about Regina?"

"Oh, she's too busy with her sights trained on Emma right now. If you want to move, I think now's the time to do it. And besides darling, let's just say that recently she's seen how manipulative I can be. It would be very unfortunate if she decided to come after you."

Dagian nodded and prayed at hat her husband was right. Because she knew that staying with him wasn't going to work, "Is there anything else you want to talk about?"

He looked at her and she could almost swear that he looked sad, "No, I can't think of anything at the moment "

"Alright then," she said and waited for relief or sadness to take over now that the marriage was definitely over. She didn't feel anything though. Just the exhaustion that came with being about seven months pregnant and having feet so swollen that she could hardly fit in her shoes.

"Alright then," he repeated, "I'll get the divorce papers drawn up first thing in the morning."

And so that was that. Dagian watched as he grabbed his cane and stood up.

Dagian grabbed the armrest of the couch and pulled herself up, "Rumpelstiltskin."

He stopped and waited for her to catch up. She moved in front of him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He returned the gesture and held her close. He wanted to manipulate her into staying. Give her horror stories of some of the things Regina had done. Scare her a little bit. Find a way to get her back into his arms. However, he knew that it wasn't because of love but because having her around as his wife was what he was used to. It would just be a marriage of convenience and he knew that neither one would be really happy.

"I do have one more request," Dagian said as they pulled away, "You'll be there when the baby's being born, right? I mean, in the room and everything?" 

"Darling," he said and put his hand where his daughter was moving, "You know I wouldn't miss it."


	52. Chapter 52

Dagian folded her hands together and stared at the papers in front of her, "How long will it take?" 

Rumpelstiltskin sat next to her and handed her the pen, "Right money in the right pockets, it'll be processed by the beginning of the week."

She looked down, "That short of a time."

"Yes," He looked down, "Seems a bit cheap though. Everything we've been through ended with just two signatures."

She closed her eyes, she wasn't regretting this but…she didn't know…it really dawned on her that she was going to be alone now. Sure she had him, but it would never be the same. And really other than him, the closest thing she had to a friend was Archie and the Mills kid.

"You'll be there when I give birth?" she asked again.

"I'll be in the room if you wish it," he told her, "And after you give birth, I'll stay with you a few days to help. I'll sleep on your couch."

She tensed, she really didn't like putting herself with that temptation but she didn't want to have to take care of the baby all by herself, "Alright."

He looked down as she turned the papers over, "I AM sorry for everything I've done to you." 

She nodded, "I'm sorry too."

His name was already signed. IT was his Storybrooke name but it was as good as his old one as far as Dagian was concerned. There…weren't really divorces in the Realms. The only way one could really obtain one is if they married someone else.

"You know, sometimes when I was asleep I'd see what our lives would've been like if the Dark One hadn't interfered and I'd have stayed.

He was pensive but he listened, she didn't talk about the things she'd seen while she was sleeping and really Rumpelstiltskin didn't want to KNOW what she'd seen.

"We'd have had twins after Bae," she said, "Two boys. And then a son after that and then I'd finally get my daughter."

He smiled slightly. He'd always wanted a big family but he was worried that with the poverty, he'd never be able to feed all of them. Before his mother died, she was pregnant four other times but the children were all either miscarried or stillborn. It had almost killed his father emotionally and Rumpelstiltskin didn't want to be like that.

"I wish we had that."

Pain crossed his face as he considered those times and how happy they would've been, "Was it all bad for you? Everything that happened after I brought you back?"

She shook her head, "Not all of it." 

"But enough?"

Her silence was his answer, but after a few seconds she decided to speak, "At first it was horrible, the way you treated me. But then…after the assassination attempt and we actually started trying to be attentive toward each other, then it wasn't so bad. I think I was happiest those times the most when I was with you. When Bae forgave me, I was just…happy the whole time with him. I think there was a lot of fear and anger then, and while there was plenty of good times as well and I thank you so much for reuniting me with Bae…what we had was comfort but it wasn't a marriage."

He nodded, "But things will be different now."

"Yes," she said and opened the pen, "Things will be different now." 

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

She looked at him, "Yes."

He'd gotten them this far, he better get through with it.

She took a breath and signed her name.

As soon as she put the pen down a flood of emotions took over and she started sobbing when she saw the ball that used to be Bae's. After her husband…or…ex-husband now she supposed had found out that August was lying, he'd brought it to the back so that it wouldn't be sold.

She didn't know if the emotions were relief or…disappointment or regret…maybe it was pregnancy hormones but she just started crying.

"Dagian," Rumpelstiltskin whispered and pressed his lips against her temple and embraced her, "It'll be alright."

She wiped her tears away and gathered herself together. She was fine, she'd always be fine. She'd survive; it always seemed to happen whether it was a solo or combined effort.

"Would you like me to walk you home?" 

She shook her head, everything with the house hadn't cleared yet but Dagian had most of her things moved in there and the utilities were on. It was amazing how being married to the most powerful man in town could get you all sorts of things early.

"No," she said, "You got that call from August and you need to get Marco in here before he…shows up."

"Are you sure?" 

"Yeah," she whispered, "I'll need some time to clear my head anyway." 

He nodded, "I'll miss you."

"Well it's not like I'm going to be out of your life forever, I mean that never seems to happen."

"You know what I mean," he whispered and kissed her on the cheek, "I'll be along tonight, to check on you. Maybe bring some dinner…"

"That would be nice," Dagian agreed.

"Alright," he said awkwardly and held the backdoor open for her, when she walked through he grabbed her hand, "Dagian, I promise that no matter what I will protect you and the baby."

She nodded, "I know."

He rested his forehead on hers, "I love you."

Not in the pure love sense of course. That was over a long time ago, but he liked to think in his own way that he did love her. In their own way, there was SOMETHING that could be described as a type of love at least. They were going to be intertwined for the rest of their lives; they might as well feel something that wasn't blinding hate. He'd tried that, it didn't work.

She must've felt the same because instead of punching him in the face for declaring it right after divorce papers were signed, she put her hands on his shoulders, "I love you too." 


	53. Chapter 53

Dagian watched as Rumpelstiltskin laid the salad in front of her and smiled slightly. This wasn't as awkward as she thought it was going to be. She had to admit that she felt far more relaxed now that she wasn't legally bound to him and from the look on his face he seemed a bit more at ease as well, "I can cook you know."

"Don't be silly;" He said and put the salmon in front of her, "You're pregnant."

She smiled as memories of how fussy he could be when she was pregnant came flooding back and she started cutting her salmon, "Yes mother."

He glared, "Woman-."

"You're still wearing the wedding ring."

He frowned and looked down at the ring on his right hand. IT was tradition, at least in their time period, to wear their wedding rings on their right hand as opposed to their left. To signify that their spouse was always at the right hand; a place of honor, "It's for remembrance Dagian, nothing more."

She looked at it, "Oh."

"Besides, when we find Bae again, and if he forgives me and I can redeem myself then perhaps he'll give it to some girl that he'll pick for his wife."

Dagian smiled in amusement, "Family heirloom?"

"Well, it was the best thing you ever bought for me; of course I'm going to keep it." 

Dagian wiped her mouth with the napkin and remembered fondly. After she had healed and they were married, and before the Ogre War, Dagian had gone back to her abandoned village. Everyone either died in the slaughter on that road that day or they moved on. She had gotten what she needed from her home and sold what she didn't need to merchants and traded until she could get him that ring with that little piece of rock. It was worth everything she'd paid to see him smile like he did when she presented it to him. It'd been her wedding gift…just a bit belated.

"So what happens now?" Dagian asked.

"For us? I thought we discussed that." 

"No," she shook her head, "For this curse."

"Well, only an act of true untainted love can break the curse."

"And we're just going to sit by and wait for that to happen?"

"Nothing else better to do," he replied and took a bite of the salmon, "And you will give birth and we will find Bae."

"Will we return home?"

He was quiet for a few seconds, "I don't know."

"Wonderful," Dagian said."

"We sacrificed our world for this one Dagian. Some texts say that it's possible and some say it's not but they all said one thing. That we could cross over, that we could be reunited with our son. Whether or not we can go back or not is irrelevant because we'll have our children and we'll be together. Well not _together _but you understand what I mean."

"Of course," Dagian said and looked down awkwardly.

HE immediately sensed that he was going into uncomfortable territory and cleared his throat, "I like what you've done so far with the house."

She nodded. She'd barely moved anything; Gold's constant fussing over her meant that he sent his bodyguard Mr. White to move her things around the new house. She didn't mind it; Mr. White had always been respectful and never complained.

"Thank you," she said. "I'm still not happy with the arrangements; I think that when I give birth then I'll change it around more to my liking."

"What's wrong with it, I'll let you have Mr. White for another day."

"No," she shook her head, "No, it's nothing that needs priority. I'll just need to mess around with it a little more before it's mine."

Rumpelstiltskin noticed that she put her hand on her temple, "Are you going to have one of your migraines?"

She nodded, "I thought they'd go away after I Remembered but…."

"It's a side effect of the potion that you mixed," he said and took a sip of his water, "Of all the sleeping curses you picked, you had to choose one of the messiest in terms of after effects. You will have it with you for the rest of your life." 

Dagian sighed, "Well, just my luck, hm?"

"Well if you'd told me that you wanted to take a sleeping curse dear, I would've set aside a nicer one for you."

Dagian laughed and shook her head, "Such a considerate husband."

He smiled back at her and they settled into an awkward silence.

"How long have we been alive?" she finally asked.

"Well," he said and looked thoughtful, "I was about fifty and you were thirty-five when I turned. And then those eight months you were with me and then the four hundred years after that…followed by the 28 years we were here. I'd say…_old. _Don't worry darling you don't look a day over thirty and you still look as radiant as the day I married you. I can't say the 'day we met' because you were bloody and dying then. I was afraid you'd take that as an insult."

"Well you look the same as the day I married you as well," she smirked, "And considering what you looked like before, you'd better take that as a compliment as well."

"Certainly wasn't a deal breaker for you though," He reminded her, "I seem to remember you being a lot more passionate after my change."

"What can I say?" she said, "Your new taste in wardrobe was…very arousing."

"Mm," he raised his eyebrows, "See, you want to know what you missed when you were asleep for those 400 years? For a while leather pants were the fashion. And not the kind of waterproof leather that we wore when we were working I Mean like…leather that they wear here in this time."

Dagian almost spit out her drink, "What? Did you wear them?"

"Dear, I started that trend."

Dagian burst out laughing and rested her hands on the small of her back when it started aching, "I…have seen you wear peasant clothes, I have seen you wear the dark one's clothes and I have seen you wear suits, but I swear that I could never imagine you like that."

She had to stand up, her sides were killing her and she was afraid that she was going to end up going into early labor if she didn't stop laughing and she didn't want the cause to be the image of her ex-husband, in his old skin, prancing around in leather pants.

Dagian stood up and walked to the living room. Rumpelstiltskin followed her and when she was confident that she was done laughing, she sat next to him on the couch, "Please don't tell me anything more about your wardrobe when I wasn't awake to shop for you."

"I looked amazing."

"I'll bet you did," she said and started rubbing her feet. They were so swollen.

"Here," he took her feet in his lap, "Let me."

She smiled slightly as he began massaging her feet. He was always better at it than her. Before she was pregnant and he would come home and she would help him relax by massaging his back but when she was pregnant and after he came home, her feet would swell so badly that she could hardly walk on them sometimes and so sometimes before they went to bed he would take her feet and try to give her some comfort as he massaged them."

"Tell me some of your stories," Dagian said.

He looked up, "No stories to tell."

"Oh come on Rumpelstiltskin, you were alive for four hundred years, you have to have some tales."

Rumpelstiltskin hesitated. He had his ex-wife here. Trusting him more than she ever had since Bae was a baby. He could not tell her and she would respect it. But why couldn't he? What was holding him back? He could talk to her, the time for manipulation and secret keeping was over. At least for the both of them.

"It's a long tale dearie," he said, slipping into his old high pitched voice just for nostalgia's sake.

"I'm not going anywhere," Dagian smiled, "And it's still early yet and you have a lot of work before my feet feel comfortable."

He sighed, "It's not a nice tale all the time."

"I don't care," Dagian whispered.

"Alright dear," he said, "You'll get your story."

And so he told her everything. About his early struggles to understand, about his anger towards her and his refusal to even think of people as more than pawns after she left. He told her about setting everything in place so they could get here and his rivalry with Regina.

And then he told her about Belle. That was the hardest one. Not because he was talking to one woman he loved about the other but because the memories were always so hard. She was dead because of him. Because he knew there would've been no good choices. He literally had to choose between his son and his true love. If he'd chosen Belle then he would've lost his powers, they would all still be separated, Dagian would still be trapped in her sleeping hell. And then there was the possibility that he would be dead because he knew Regina would've killed him.

And because he hadn't chosen her, she was now dead. He'd killed his true love. He didn't lie to himself and he didn't deny it like he had when he brutally beat Moe French. Why would he? IT was just them and they knew each other better than anyone ever could.

Dagian was especially silent when he told her about Belle. She kept her face unreadable but she knew his pain. If anyone could understand about wasted opportunities and the loss of a true love then she did.

Dagian took his hand and he held it in both of us. His darker more tanned skin such a contrast to her paler hands.

Silence passed as they held each other's hands. Not the uncomfortable one that seemed to haunt them since she got her memories but the kind of silence that passed the many times she and Rumpelstiltskin sat side by side at the spinning wheel when they were human, watching it to forget.

"It's almost midnight," he said at last, "I have to go."

She nodded, handed him his cane, and then helped him up so that in turn he could help her up.

"Try to stay away from Regina," he advised as they walked to the door, "News of your moving out has already swept through the town twice. They all think you cheated on me with August due to your beating down his door and then me picking you up right in front of the inn. If Regina is an idiot and looking to use us against each other then she'll come sniffing around."

"I'll avoid her; I made a habit of that when I was Dawn so it should be easy as me."

He turned to face her, "Now listen because this is important. Magic isn't in this land naturally but that doesn't mean that it can't cross over. I doubt Regina would waste it on you but you need to be careful. Only eat and drink what you're sure hasn't been tampered with. Sealed containers, never let your food out of your sight. Regina knows how much of a danger I am and so she'll either run away from that or attack you. Be cautious. I said I'd protect you but I can't protect you all the time." 

"I know."

He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head; Dagian returned the embrace and opened the door for him.

"I'll see you later."

She nodded and shut the door behind him.

Aw, they'd forgotten all about dinner.

Dagian started putting the dishes up and sighed in exhaustion.

She rather liked being his friend a lot more than being his wife.


	54. Chapter 54

There was a certain…tense in the air that Dagian couldn't understand but she could feel it in her bones. Its suffocating presence kept her up at night even though nothing should be wrong.

Something was going to happen soon. Dagian didn't know what it was. But for some reason her hair was standing up on end and the heaviness that had settled in the town almost suffocated her.

Dagian kept herself guarded constantly. Some of the townsfolk brought her things now that she was divorced; some didn't believe she had ever cheated on their Mr. Gold with August and some believed she did and wanted to stop by so that they could try and get some of the story. Dagian played the friendly host and more often than naught threw away the food that some brought. Rumpelstiltskin's warning had worried her and she didn't know who was on Regina's pay roll.

She was quite familiar with paranoia. It was what helped her survive when she was on her own.

Three people came by and Dagian pretended that she wasn't home. Her feet were aching, her back hurt and she just wasn't in the mood for company. And it wasn't just that she was tired, she really didn't feel like she belonged. She didn't feel like she belonged in her own time, she certainly wasn't going to feel like she belonged in a time that she had no place in.

She took an early morning nap on the couch and was awakened by an incessant ringing of her doorbell.

"I'm coming," she finally screamed pulled on the robe.

Henry stood there and gave her a light innocent smile.

Dagian rested her forehead against the doorframe. She didn't mind the kid. She really didn't, he reminded her of Bae because he tried to stand up for what was right. Ever since he found out that she remembered, he treated her like she was one of the coolest people he'd ever known. Dagian couldn't bring herself to tell him that she didn't care about his fight against Regina or Emma and their little fight to stop the curse. It wasn't anything against Emma or Mary Margaret or David Nolan…or Snow and Charming or whatever they were going to call themselves. Other than what their purpose, Dagian couldn't bring herself to care about any of them.

"What do you want, Henry?" she asked.

He shrugged, "Nowhere else to go. Emma is with August-."

Dagian tensed at August's name but didn't say anything.

"And I don't want to be with _her,_" he said, "Can I stay with you?"

Dagian really didn't want Regina to come sniffing around but one look at this kid's puppy eyes and she melted. From what her husband had told her since the divorce, this boy hadn't had much happiness all his life and he didn't have anywhere to go that his mother couldn't find him. Dagian could give him that little taste of sanctuary for a little while.

She opened the door further, "Come on."

Henry came into her living room and glanced around, drinking everything in, "Did he really kick you out?"

"No," she said.

"You left him?"

"No." she replied again and threw the blanket from the couch to the chair, "We made a consensual agreement to end the marriage."

"But why?"

"Because sometimes the damage to a relationship by outer and inner forces is just too much that sometimes it's better to end it than continue."

His face fell and Dagian swallowed, "We're not true loves, Henry. We thought they were but we found out differently."

He looked at her, "Because your true love is Philip."

Dagian looked up sharply, "I am _not _THE Sleeping Beauty."

Henry didn't buy it, "You took a sleeping potion and your name is Dagian which means 'dawn' and that's sort of what Aurora means too. I looked it up."

"Names synonymous with 'dawn' have always been popular in the Realms, Henry," Dagian told him, "And sleeping curses were a dime a dozen. I'll bet in our time there were a thousand sleeping beauties. I am just one of them."

His face fell in disappointment, "I was just hoping that- with you being married to the most powerful man in Storybrooke and you got your memories back before most everyone else…"

"That you thought I'd be more important than a generic sleeping beauty. Don't worry kiddo; I'm _quite _okay with what destiny gave me," she sat down and pointed across the room, "Bring me that box."

He carried the box over to her, "Now that you're divorced will you tell me who Mr. Gold is."

"Nope," Dagian smirked, pulled the box on the floor and opened it, "I have something for you to do."

He stood in front of her excited, "Is it about Operation Cobra?"

Dagian looked up and stared at him blankly, "What in the name of the Twelve Realms is 'Operation _Cobra?" _

"It's what I call the operation where we're trying to break the curse," and gave her a curious look, "Did you know?"

"Mr. Gold did everything he could to keep me away from that curse information."

Henry looked at her eagerly, "But now you know, right? And that means you'll help?"

She looked up sharply. She wasn't promising _that._

"I'll do my…best," she said reluctantly, "But I have to think about my child's safety too. Mr. Gold may not love me but he has gone out of his way to keep me safe and away from this curse thing."

"But you'll try?"

She nodded, "Sure, I'll try."

He seemed satisfied by at least that and he craned his neck to see what was in the box, "What do you want me to do."

She pulled out a hammer and some pictures, "If you're going to stay here, you're going to work."

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It was past dinner when Regina came for Henry. And when Dagian opened the door and the 'beloved mayor' saw Henry standing behind Dagian, she was clearly displeased.

"Get in the car," she told her son.

When the boy was heading down the stairs, Regina looked down and looked like she was steeling herself for what she was about to say next, "Ms. Danvers, I'd appreciate it from now on if you were going to take my son in, if you'd call me first."

Dagian rolled her eyes. She knew Rumpelstiltskin told her not to bring attention to herself but Dagian had heard about what she had done to her Sidney Glass, her so called 'most loyal servant.'

Regina studied her and tilted her head, "All his life Henry's done his best to stay away from you and your ex. Why would he come here now?"

"Desperate kid I suppose," she tried to smirk but she knew that she was in trouble.

"He was scared of the both of you up until a couple of weeks ago," Regina's smile turned into a smirk, "Do you remember?"

Dagian mentally cursed and her hesitance was all Regina seemed to need.

"It does make sense; you getting pregnant when time started again, this divorce that suddenly came out of nowhere. I have to wonder who you are though. I don't think I've ever seen you in the Realms and yet one day I see you walking next to Rumpelstiltskin about a day or so after I get here. Now I figure that you're not just someone he fancied in the Realms because I know how he was before the end and I'm sure that my spies would've said something."

"Yes," Dagian said while trying to think on how she was going to survive this and get Regina off her porch at the same time, "I'm not exactly from your time period."

"Wait a minute," she whispered and gave a vicious smirk, "The migraines that sidelined you for days at a time…you took a sleeping curse didn't you?"

"Yeah," she muttered, "Suicide isn't exactly an option when you're married to the dark one and he expects you to stay with him."

Dagian wasn't going to tell her about Bae. Rumpelstiltskin had told her that she didn't know about him and if there was one thing that Dagian could protect; it was her son.

And then she thought of a plan, it was…a quick off the wall idea and she'd have to make adjustments later but if she could get Regina to do what she wanted…

Dagian eyed Henry, watching her from his position in the car and took a breath, "Believe it or not sleeping potions are the exact thing to use when you need someone to get out of your way but you can't afford to kill them."

Regina stared at her, "Except if I end Emma's life then I can stop the curse."

Dagian shook her head, "Do you really think that Rumpelstiltskin, who you know planned this curse for his own agenda, would let you stop his savior that so easily with death? You still underestimate him."

Regina paled and Dagian could see her mind working a hundred miles an hour. Dagian didn't know if killing Emma would break the curse or not. Rumpelstiltskin had never told her. But she would think he would plan for that. A child always planned for the safety of their favorite toys after all. They took care of them and showed them more attention than anything else. Rumpelstiltskin wouldn't let her get broken.

Regina's eyes narrowed suspiciously, "Why would you tell me this?"

Dagian leaned against the doorframe, "My husband took my memories away and got me pregnant in a revenge scheme because I'd rather live in an eternity of my own regrets than be with him. But of course no one wants to live like that forever and you casting the curse woke me up. And now for the first time since I was married to him I'm really truly free. And really, you may be a murdering skank but at least I have you to thank for waking me up. I'm not loyal to Rumpelstiltskin, I just want to survive all this."

Regina raised an eyebrow, "And what do you want out of this?"

"You keep your little curse business away from me and my baby. I don't care about anyone else. Oh and when you get the curse back on track, please wait until I've given birth and the baby's sleeping through the night. And keep her from staying a prisoner as time as well. I really don't want to be carting around a baby for the rest of eternity."

Regina smirked, clearly her emotions and need for revenge didn't make her question Dagan anymore. One would think that she would learn the first time, "Deal."

"Good now…just so my ex-husband doesn't see you and bother me…get off my porch."

Dagian slammed the door in Regina's face, leaned against it and sank down to the floor and tried to draw in a few breaths.

It was a plan that she was going to have to work on but thus far it was simple. If Regina listened to her then she would use the magic she brought over to poison Emma. Henry had untainted pure love for his mom. He'd kiss her on the head or the cheek and she'd wake up and the curse would be broken and they could find Bae.

It was simple.

Dagian narrowed her eyes and her hand went to her stomach; it was almost too simple.

Dagian pulled herself up. She might want to go call her husband. If there was anyone that could think of all the variables then it'd be him.


	55. Chapter 55

It wasn't even ten minutes after Dagian told Rumpelstiltskin that Regina had been there that she heard a loud pounding at her door.

"Gods," she muttered, "I told him that she didn't hurt me."

She opened the door and he stormed in, "Did she touch anything?" 

"Hello to you too," Dagian muttered and shut the door behind him.

He turned to her, his eyes were wild and angry and Dagian thought for a second that she was really glad Regina hadn't passed him on the way home. Henry didn't need to see what he was going to do to her.

"Did she touch anything?" he asked with clenched teeth.

Dagian met his steely gaze, "No."

"You watched her?"

"She didn't even get in the door."

Rumpelstiltskin nodded drew a shaking hand through his hair. Dagian watched him quietly as he had his little mental breakdown.

He leaned heavily on his cane and rested his other hand on the side of her face, "You're alright?"

"I'm fine," her hand went to the baby, "W-we're fine."

The fear dissolved and it was replaced by anger, "You know when I told you not to go near Regina, I would think that you'd realize inviting her adopted son over for milk and cookies was something you didn't do."

"He came over, I put him to work. What, did you just expect me to let him wander around town by himself? What kind of concerned citizen would I be if that happened?" she realized how careless that sounded and sighed, "I didn't mean to keep him there for this long."

"And she knows that you remember?" he demanded, "Wonderful Dagian, there's nothing protecting you now."

"Are you going to let me tell you what happened, or aren't you?" she demanded, "Come sit down."

He did so and Dagian threw another log on the fire. She pulled herself on the couch next to him and tucked her legs under her.

Everything came spilling out; the plan she tried to hatch so that Regina would be distracted, the 'deal' she made that she had no plan of keeping…she told him everything. And as she talked, his face became more and more set and she knew she'd most likely screwed up.

"I can think of about a hundred things that could go wrong," Rumpelstiltskin told her, "There are too many variables for this to work like you want it to."

Despite the fact that she'd called him here partly for his advice she found she was getting angry, "Well I'm sorry I couldn't think of a flawless plan like you usually do, but I was sort of put on the spot."

"Still," he said and put his hand on her stomach absentmindedly while he was thinking, "It's not a completely hopeless plan. Do you mind if I help?"

"I don't care," she said and felt her baby move against her father's touch, "I was only coming up with something to divert her attention and I have a feeling that you'll do it anyway."

He sighed and studied her face, "Is the boy in on your plan?"

"No, he was in the car."

"Hm," he said and then broke out into a smug look, "I can't believe you pulled this off." 

She felt the heat crawl up her neck, "Are you amazed or something?"

He smirked, "Aroused actually."

Dagian scowled, "You're going there? Really?"

Rumpelstiltskin feigned an innocent look, "You asked. To be perfectly honest, if I knew you were capable of making plans that quickly, I'd have fought harder to keep you."

"Yes," she said, "And instead of creating new siblings for Lily and Bae, we'd be up rubbing our hands together and twirling our invisible mustaches at our plans and how fantastic we were."

"Oh darling, you're wrong," he said, "We'd rub our hands together, twirl our invisible mustaches and then we'd create new siblings for Lily and Bae."

Dagian scowled at his victorious smirk. This was his game now. He liked to try to see how far he could go with what he said to her. Dagian suspected that it was more teasing than it was flirting but she didn't look at any part of him other than his face to see which theory was true.

"Have you eaten?" she asked.

"No, I never eat when I'm at the shop."

Dagian sighed, they weren't divorced three days yet and he was already failing to take care of himself, "I'll make you some dinner."

He stood up to follow her to the oven where some of the casserole still sat that she'd made for herself and Henry, "I miss this." 

"Miss what?" Dagian asked and started putting it on a plate for him.

"Us. You," he looked towards her living room, "It's quite a difficult thing to wake up in the night, reach for your wife and remember she's not there when you find the empty pillow next to you." 

Dagian averted her gaze. He was lonely, she understood that. Many times she woke up expecting to find his arms around her before she remembered they weren't married anymore, "Things have changed now, we have to get used to that." 

He studied her, maybe he was looking for some hint of a desire or love that remained, she wasn't sure.

Dagian wrapped her blanket around herself to ward off the chill as his eyes seemed to see right through her. He rested a knuckle against her face, "I want to stay here tonight."

She sighed, "Rumpelstiltskin-."

"I give you my assurances that I will keep my hands and words to myself," he promised her, "I just…" 

Dagian tilted her head when he hesitated, "Yes?" 

"I just want you to be safe." 

"Regina won't trust me if she sees your car at my house." 

"We don't know that Regina trusts you anyway," he reminded her, "And I'd rather be here anyway just to make sure. If she gets suspicious then you can just tell her that you're playing me. After all, I have money and power where…if you want to then you can tell him that you're scared I'll have Lily taken away from you."

Dagian flinched and he furrowed his eyebrows, "You don't have to worry Dagian, I already gave you my word that I wouldn't do that."

"And you think that she'd trust me if she thought I was playing both sides."

Rumpelstiltskin's hand went to her stomach again and she automatically put her hands on top of his, "Dagian," he said after a second of silence, "I think she of all people will understand how far one will go if they think they're protecting their children." 

Dagian lowered her head, "I'll warm you up some supper. You can spend the night if you wish."

She stood and walked back to the kitchen, she didn't want him to know that while she was dragging her feet, she was feeling great relief that he was going to stay here tonight.

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_Rumpelstiltskin rested his head on his hand and looked down at his sleeping wife. _

_ He couldn't say that he had worked hard to get her to where she was sharing his bed again. He'd been horrible to her when he brought her home and really the only reason she crawled next to him now was because she wanted to feel safe. After the assassins had attacked them, she'd been a lot more open to the idea of moving to the main cabin. _

_ One could look at this as a step in the right direction he supposed. He didn't know. He would rather she come here to his side because she WANTED to. And then there was the worry that she was just going to gain his trust so she could shatter it again. _

_ And then there was Bae. What was he going to do if she pulled something like that? It'd break the boy. _

_ Rumpelstiltskin closed his eyes before he became angry again. This was a victory for them as a family and he wouldn't win any favors if he kept scrutinizing her every move. She didn't want him if he was a coward, why should she want him if he were paranoid? _

_ He wrapped an arm around her waist and she stirred at his touch. At first he was afraid she'd wake up and pull away but instead she intertwined her fingers in his and sort of moved and twisted her body so that she was closer to him. _

_ Despite his reservations, something that felt like a protective instinct hit him like a ton of bricks and he smiled down at her. _

_ She had no reason to be frightened of him; he wished she would understand that. He wasn't a coward anymore, he could provide for her, the townspeople wouldn't terrorize her anymore and the dark one that had driven her away to get to him was dead. _

_ She was safer here than she'd ever been in her life. _

_ He moved closer to her but she didn't wake up. She was tired; he used his power to see into her psyche while he was holding her. She was a light sleeper but there were several nights where she hadn't slept well. He was hoping that once she got used to him and Bae then she'd start feeling more relaxed but he could feel her taught muscles even when she was asleep. _

_ Rumpelstiltskin shifted his position again and laid a quick kiss on her cheek. She HAD to be getting used to him as he was, he didn't see her sharing his bed no matter how scared and alone she felt if she despised him like she did when he first brought her here._

_ She would be safe. He would make her happy and they'd be a family again. _

_ Something moved against his hand and Rumpelstiltskin's eyes opened wide. _

_ What on earth was that?_

_ He forgot about being as still as possible so that he could enjoy the moment and pulled the blankets back to see her heavily pregnant belly. _

_ When did this happen? He would've noticed before…_

_ Someone pulled the curtain back and he looked up to see a black eyed Zoso standing there with his dagger. His eyes widened and he knew the man's intent immediately. _

_ "NO!" he screamed but for some reason he was helpless to do anything as Zoso plunged the dagger into his wife's chest. _

And as he screamed his throat raw, he struggled to get up fell face first to the floor.

He looked around frantically. He wasn't in the cabin in the Realms; he was in the living room of his ex-wife's house. It was a dream, he had a dream. His subconscious had taken a memory and twisted it, like it had been doing for the past 428 years since he'd become the Dark One and then came here.

But just because he had a dream didn't mean…

He pulled himself to his feet and tried to take a step forward without his cane. Pain shot up his leg and he stumbled down just as he called his wife's name.

She came down the stairs, "Rumpelstiltskin, are you alright?" 

He noticed immediately that his screaming had scared her so badly that she carried the gun he'd let her have downstairs with her.

He pulled himself back up and grabbed her face. He checked her over to make sure that she was alright and then wrapped his arms around her.

"Rumpelstiltskin-."

"Just a nightmare," he said and sank to the couch. His hand found hers and she sat next to him, "I dreamed-."

When he didn't say anything, Dagian squeezed his hand, "You used to have these all the time. Dawn worried about you, especially when you wouldn't talk about it."

He looked up at her. He didn't want to worry her but she wasn't going to leave him alone until she knew. He knew that concerned look that she had was never a good thing for him.

So he told her. The dreams were always the same. He'd lose Bae or he'd lose her. Sometimes it was watching Bae fall down the vortex after he let him go, other times they were murdered in front of him.

"Well," she whispered and clutched his hand tighter, "You should've known something was up immediately."

"What are you talking about?"

She tried to smile, "You always slept in the spot closest to the door."

He didn't appreciate the humor, "Dagian."

"Sorry," she whispered and put her hand on his leg, "Would you like to talk about it?" 

He shook his head; he didn't want to talk any more than possible because he didn't want to look any weaker than he already did in front of her and his throat was already aching from screaming, "You need your rest."

"I'm not going to rest after that," she told him, "Please, talk to me. Tell me what's going on in that head of yours."

He looked at her. Her migraines were her punishment for what she'd done. His nightmares were his.

But he needed to talk to someone. Maybe if he shared them with her then they wouldn't be as realistic.

He spent the rest of the night telling her everything he could think of. He told her about some of the worst ones. And his fears that came with them even though none of them ever came true. He'd wanted to talk to Dawn about them but she wouldn't understand what they meant. By the time he was done, the sun was starting to rise.

"I know that I'll never make up for what I did to you," He told her and looked down in shame, "But I think that I've paid some of that price."

Dagian was quiet and he wondered what she was thinking.

"It's seven," she whispered and cleared her throat, "You might want to go home and get changed so you can get to the shop on time."

He nodded and grabbed his cane, "I'll imagine everyone will be talking now that they've seen my car in front of your house all night."

"Screw them," Dagian muttered and pressed her hands against the small of her back.

He looked offended, "Such language. One would think you were from this world." 

It was her turn to look offended, "Now that was just rude."

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Dagian closed the door behind Rumpelstiltskin and rested her head against the door. Her back was killing her and she just wanted to lie down and get some sleep.

But she knew she probably wouldn't. And if Rumpelstiltskin knew then she would never get him out of the house.

She had started having contractions since she was awakened by his nightmare. The time between them was far apart and the pain wasn't so bad. Not as bad as when Dauis grabbed her and she went into premature labor with Bae.

But it was still far too early. She was further along when she had been pregnant with her boy.

She just hoped and prayed that they were false and would subside in time.


	56. Chapter 56

Dagian slept most of the morning and afternoon. She knew she should be awake if she was in labor but since it was too early, she thought that if she rested then the contractions would subside.

She slept on and off until evening and was only awakened by the sound of her ringing phone. She flipped it on and put it to her ear, "Yes?" 

"It's me," she heard Rumpelstiltskin on the other end; "I called you twice."

"I was asleep;" she ran a hand through her hair, "Is everything alright?" 

"Are you up for coming to the shop?"

She struggled to sit up, "Why? Has something happened?" 

"Yeah, your plan didn't exactly go off without any complications. The boy took the poisoned apple, not his mother."

"What?" she demanded, "W-why? Did she just let him swipe it from her or something?"

"Does that even matter anymore?" he asked, "Whatever's going to happen is happening _now. _I want you to...I'd _like _you to be here with me when it everything comes to a head. I'm fortifying the shop in case it turns bad."

"Oh," she said and drew a breath. Her contractions had stopped but she didn't want to take any chances, "Will you come and get me?"

"Of course," He said, "I'll be there in three minutes."

"Rumpelstiltskin," she whispered before he turned off the phone.

"Yes?"

She drew in another shaky breath, "I had false contractions earlier. Th-they're over now I think but you should know what you're opening the doors to."

A few seconds of silence passed on the phone, "I'll still be there in three minutes. When we get back I'll set up a bed for you. If they come back then I'll take you to the hospital. "

She ran a hand through her tangled hair, "I'll pack a bag."

"I want you to pack for a couple of days Dagian. Just in case. If this all comes crashing down then the safest place might just be with me"

She didn't question it. He'd thought this far ahead and kept her safe, she had no doubt that he'd planned for this as well, "Alright."

She heard the phone click on the other side and hung hers up as well. She pulled herself out of bed and rested her hand on her stomach, "Just a little while longer darling. Stay in there for a little bit longer."

If she lost this one too, it'd kill her.

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"Are you sure you're alright?"

Dagian bit the inside of her cheek to keep out a groan of frustration. Her ex-husband worried about her. She knew that and understood and she just didn't know _why_ she was angry at him. It certainly wasn't his fault that she'd gone into a false labor and she'd worry if he didn't show concern for her and the baby.

But she just hated the way he fussed over her sometimes. He wasn't her husband anymore but he was the baby's father. She figured that he had some right to, but it didn't make it any less agonizing sometimes. She wasn't trying to be ungrateful, she just wanted some space.

She divorced him and one of those reasons WAS that she wanted her own space to figure things out and where was she?

Back with him in his shop. Ironically the safest place to be.

"I have some work to do up front," he said and sat her bag on the table in the middle of the room, "Are you alright back here by yourself?" 

"Rumpelstiltskin, the only thing that'll be separating me and you is a curtain."

"Alright," He said after a few seconds, "Just rest. You still look exhausted."

"Yeah, your daughter is sucking the life out of me."

HE smiled, "My daughter now, is she?" 

"When she behaves like you," Dagian said with a small smile, "She is your daughter."

HE smiled and kissed her stomach and then kissed her cheek, "Stay out of sight. Just…stay back here and relax."

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Preparing," he said and smiled, "They'll be coming soon." 

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Dagian ran her hand over her stomach and listened to the voices of Mayor Mills and Emma Swan arguing with Rumpelstiltskin about what they had to do.

Several things rushed through her mind. The first was that Emma believed. That was quick; it almost felt like it was overnight. Oh well, her son was passed out with no explanation, she supposed now was as good a time as ever to start believing. And really if she didn't believe by now then Dagian was going to think that there was something wrong with her head.

Although Dagian couldn't be sure, she WAS trusting Regina after all.

Dagian heard them leave and tried standing.

"What are you doing?"

She scowled at Rumpelstiltskin, "I Think the baby was playing the xylophone on my spine."

He rushed to her side and put his hand on her elbow, "Dagian, you're unsteady."

"I need to stretch my legs," she said.

"No, you're just making sure that I was in one piece," he helped her sit down and sat on the bed next to her, "IT's almost done Dagian. The curse is almost broken." 

She felt her tears gather at her eyes and she rested her hand against Rumpelstiltskin's face. It felt too good to be true. After all these years? After 400 years of seeing her own regrets and then 28 years or living a lie, it almost seemed like the idea of the curse ending was just one of the many dreams that she'd be having since she got her memories back.

Well at least she could dream again.

"It's almost over," she whispered and felt a couple of tears slide down her face. She tried to wipe them away. Bloody pregnancy hormones.

"It's almost over," He promised, "All she has to do is get that true love potion and it's over."

"And that'll break the curse? That'll wake Henry up?" 

"Not exactly," he said, "But I need it none the less."

She looked at him, confused. If that wasn't going to break the curse then why on earth was he sending Emma to get it? They were so close, nothing else should matter, "I don't understand."

He gave her a sad smile and brushed a knuckle down her cheek, "Darling, what would you and I be without our secrets?"

And Dagian automatically knew that he was playing another game.

She felt her stomach churning when he pulled himself off the bed and walked to the front.

Oh, some things didn't change.


	57. Chapter 57

As Rumpelstiltskin dusted and took inventory while the time passed, he wondered how exactly he was going to give Dagian the slip long enough to drop the vial in the well.

He knew that as soon as she knew he had it, she'd latch onto him. She suspected that he was up to something; he could see the doubt in her face when he'd gone in there earlier and asked if she trusted him.

He would have drugged her if she wasn't pregnant. And he really doubted he could outrun her and the town getting treated with THAT visual might destroy the dignity he had left forever.

And gods knew how long they were going to be here.

He checked on her frequently, she kept her back to him so she probably didn't know. She was trying to sleep but he could see that she was tossing and turning a lot. HE expected that. She'd been restless when she was pregnant with Bae and they only had a thin mattress to sleep on, he expected the small cot that he'd found for her was no different. The bed combined with the lanolin smell that seemed to waft in the air permanently now no doubt gave her memories of home. A home that he'd told her that they might never go back to

But what did that matter? He told Dagian that he was going to get Baelfire back and that was what he was going to do. HE was going to bring magic back and Dagian might not like that but she was going to have to deal with it. It was the only way that he was going to find Bae and it was definitely the only way he could protect her from Regina's misguided revenge mission.

He looked in through the curtain again and saw the slow rise and fall of her body. She was napping; he might be able to slip out without waking her if he was quiet. She was always such a light sleeper…

Anyway, he needed to get his hands on that vial before Emma and Regina realized it wasn't what was required to wake the boy up.

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Dagian's eyes shot open at the ringing bell.

She pulled herself to a sitting position and looked around her husband's office.

A crap cot and the smell of lanolin. Almost too close to home for her taste. The only thing it needed was the smell of earth and hay and a husband that muttered every time she tried to find a comfortable position while she was pregnant for it to be complete

She pulled herself unsteadily to her feet and rested her hand on her stomach. Lillian was awake and kicking her. She knew that she needed to get to the doctor's soon to make sure that everything was alright. It was early still in the pregnancy and Dagian didn't want any surprises because of a false labor.

She walked through the curtain and saw him walking down the street. Where on earth was he going?

"Gods," she muttered and moved around the room. A boy was dying, the curse was about to be broken and he was taking a jolly little walk.

Dagian rested her head against the wall. She was not in the mood for this. Everyone was running off in different directions trying to do what they could to break the curse and here she was just….waiting.

She had to do something. To walk, to breathe. It smelled like lanolin here and the smell was so strong that she felt like she was going to be sick.

Dagian unlocked the door and stepped outside for a second and let the cool night wind lift up her hair and cool her face. It was so warm in there, Rumpelstiltskin had always been cold natured. She remembered even during the really warm spring they had when they were first married, he'd constantly insisted on sleeping wrapped in the blankets while she sweated it out. Even as the dark one, he'd always found a way to drape himself and the quilt around her while they slept. It was a lot more manageable then though. His skin was always cool to the touch when he was the dark one. Not cold, but definitely not the heat that he radiated when he was human.

What did she do with herself in this town now? They'd asked her to come back to the paper now that Sidney was institutionalized but Dagian was unsure if she should. All those late nights? They told her she could bring the baby to work with her and she had Dawn's memories of how things were run but she wasn't sure.

Maybe she should take it. She didn't have Rumpelstiltskin to hide behind anymore and it was time that she started establishing roots of her own. It was high time she remembered how to make friends again.

She wondered who she should start with. David? Ugh, no, he was a dimwit. But Kathryn wouldn't be so bad. Maybe granny and Ruby. It was probably the best bet to get the town werewolves on one's Christmas list as soon as possible.

Maybe she might even go to therapy again when everyone woke up. She'd stopped when she got her memories back because the idea of therapy seemed like a waste of time if she had to keep herself silent.

She leaned against the wall and watched the silent street until she heard the telltale sound of her husband's cane as dawn broke over the town.

"Dagian?" he asked and put his hand on the crook of her arm, "What are you doing?" 

"Just looking at home," she said wryly

He was silent for a second and looked around, "Is it really that horrible to be here Dagian?"

"It's not our world," she reminded him.

"It hasn't been a world for you for four hundred years," he retorted, "The world didn't change much while you slept but it did change. As far as I'm concerned, this is a clean slate for both of us."

She sighed; how could she explain to him that it just didn't feel right? That she felt like she was out of sync with the rest of this world because she didn't belong here? Like she was some sort of intruder because they'd forced their way into a world where they didn't belong

"Dagian," he touched her wrist, "We don't have a lot of time."

Dagian followed him inside and watched with baited breath as he unlocked the…egg thing and pulled out a vial of sparkling purple liquid.

"What is that?" she demanded.

"True love, dear," he said and slipped the vial in his pocket, "I'm going to go in the woods to do what I need to, I want you to stay here-." 

"I've _stayed _here," she snapped, "I'm going with you." 

"You went into false labor yesterday," he snapped, "I'm not risking that happening again."

"Rumpelstiltskin," she slammed her palm on the glass to get his attention and then felt really stupid and childish for resorting to such measures, "What game are you playing?"

"What are you talking about?" he demanded.

"You look me in the eyes and tell me that you're using that just to get Bae back."

He hesitated and looked at her, "Not exactly."

"Gods," she whispered and ran a hand through her hair, "I knew it."

"Please Dagian, there's little time," he snapped and turned back to get his cane.

"This is _exactly _what you do," she hissed, "I shouldn't be surprised. What's the price of magic this time Rumpelstiltskin? Is this going to cost us this child too?"

"Excuse me," Someone said behind them and Dagian rolled her eyes. The last thing they needed was for someone to come in on them right in the middle of THIS fight of all fights, "Are you Mr. Gold." 

"Yes I am," he said nearly projecting his frustration with Dagian onto the woman that came in, "But I'm afraid the shop's clos-."

Dagian looked over her shoulder to see the girl. A mousy brown haired girl walked in. She seemed unsure of herself and lost and Dagian noted that she was in desperate need of a brush. And what exactly was she wearing?

But Rumpelstiltskin looked at her as if she was the most beautiful thing in the world. The surprise and love that was in his eyes…he had never looked at her like that.

Dagian put the pieces together as he walked past her. There was only one woman besides her that he'd ever confessed to loving and he thought she was dead and he'd given up any hope at being happy.

This was Belle.

The realization drove the air from her lungs as she stared at her ex-husband's true love.

No…he was going to atone for what he did to her. HE was going to pick her this time instead of their son. She was going to ruin everything.

Dagian turned slowly and walked to the back office and out the back door before she broke down in tears. Here they were, ready to go find their son and _she _showed up. He was going to pick her; he was going to pick her….

What little food she had managed to force down came up and she clutched the wall. Shivering in fear, the cold, anger and as she watched them leave together.

Now what was she going to do? What happened if he wanted to settle down with his little true love and start anew while their son was out there?

Could she not even have the comfort of having her son home?

"Excuse me Mrs. Gold, do you have the time?"

Dagian didn't recognize the voice behind her, "There's a bloody clock on the Main Street."

She turned to confront the person talking to her and came face to face with a taller man in a long grey coat and cravat over his neck. She didn't miss that he was blocking her exit and she _really _didn't miss the gun in his hand aimed at her.

"I'm sorry we had to meet like this," he said and she could almost swear that he meant it, "And I'm sorry I called you by your formally married name but I don't know what you go by here." 

Her hands went to her stomach as if she could somehow protect her baby, "Please…please, don't- don't hurt my baby." 

"I don't want to," he told her.

"Then what do you want?" she asked but the words seemed no more than a whisper caught in her throat. She looked for any chance for escape but she highly doubted that she could get away without him catching her or getting shot. The prospect terrified her but she knew the best way to survive was to try and stay perfectly calm.

"I let Belle out to get your ex-husband angry at Regina and to get him away from you," he told her, "And I'm taking you with me to make sure that he keeps her alive long enough to make sure that she fulfills her end of a bargain with me."

Dagian felt her blood chill at the cold look in his eyes, "Who are you?" 

"My name is Jefferson," he told her honestly.

"The madman that kidnapped the sheriff and the prisoner."

"I'm more commonly referred to as the Mad Hatter here."

Dagian closed her eyes to keep herself from panicking at the fact that he was going to take her and absolutely no one had any idea of where she'd be.


	58. Chapter 58

Dagian was terrified as she sat next to the madman in the car. Her heart was racing, her hands were shaking so hard in her lap that she clenched them until her knuckles turned white.

But like she did with any trauma in her life, she sat calmly. She didn't beg, she didn't plead, she didn't give him that satisfaction. The tension filled the car that she sat passenger's side in. She wouldn't do anything, and he knew it. Any risk of crashing the car could hurt the baby and Lily was the only thing she had left.

They got out of the town boundaries and started up the hill. The further they got the more that she started to shake. It was as good as over now. She'd been hoping to signal someone to help her but now that they were out of town then no one would be coming. Rumpelstiltskin wouldn't know where she was. Anything could happen to her and he might never know…

Dagian closed her eyes tightly, "What are you going to do to me?"

"I'm just taking you to my home," He said and looked at her, "I'm not going to hurt you."

"As long as I do what you say?" She asked.

"I'm not going to ask you to do anything but stay in one place," he said, "I just want to get my daughter back. I want to keep her safe."

Dagian scoffed, "What daughter?"

He glanced at her, "I have one but she's in another family. You're going to have a child; I think you understand what it means to want to protect that baby."

"And what exactly do you hope to accomplish by this?" Dagian demanded. She knew that she could lie and say that her husband had no interest in her safety but she knew that was a lie and he'd call her on it, "Do you realize what Rumpelstiltskin is going to do to you when he realizes what you've done?" 

"He won't hurt me," The madman said, "Because Regina's going to write us a new story. And with those new memories in place then the old ones are going to be erased and he'll never know what I've done to get my daughter."

Dagian couldn't help herself and started laughing, "Do you honestly think that she has that kind of power? There's no magic here, madman. Except for the dwindled supplies that crossed over and not even that is powerful enough to give you a whole new set of memories. And it's not like you can really draw on the magic of the Realms because it's not as if there's anything left-."

He gave her a sharp look and she thought he was going to hurt her, "You're lying."

"I'm not; there might not be anything left to go back to."

"What do you know about it?" The madman demanded, "Absolutely nothing."

"I lived with an imp for eight months and I read books on the subject after a certain traumatic event happened that changed our lives forever. Yeah, I think I know what I'm talking about," she snapped, "What you want is not going to be possible. I'm guessing Regina knew that when she made that deal with you that she backed out of."

"I'll make it work," he snapped.

Dagian noticed his hands were shaking and he wouldn't look at her. She knew that he was aware she wasn't lying to him, "Madman, listen to me I know what it's like to be separated from your child. I know what it's like to do less than savory things in order to try and get them back so believe me when I say that I know how you feel. However, kidnapping me isn't going to work. If you take me back now-."

"No!" he refused.

"You take me then you'll bring his wrath down on you when he's done with Regina. And I don't want that for you. You've treated me well thus far other than the whole kidnapping at gunpoint thing. If you let me go then we can just forget this."

"I don't trust you," he said, "You are far too calm with this-."

"What? You think I'm new to this whole captive thing? This isn't my first time around that experience. Madman, I've been in labor recently because of stress and if you keep me with you then it might happen again. Now just think of what Rumpelstiltskin will do if that happens? He just might forget Regina all together and blow that pretty face of yours to kingdom come."

"You're begging," he said.

"You're right, I'm begging," she said harshly, "This is my baby and you're insane."

"I gave you my word that I wouldn't hurt you."

"I know what you nearly did to Mary Margaret and Emma AND you're a desperate parent who wants to be reunited with their child, I hope you understand that I really don't trust you."

He seemed to mull it over, "You don't have a choice."

"You have to be bloody kidding me," Dagian muttered as he parked at the front of his house.

"You'll have a good room for as long as this takes," he said, "I'm not much of a cook but its edible. You'll have anything you ask for."

"How about a key to the gate," she demanded eying the new system that he'd put up, "Or am I going to have to climb over it in my condition?"

"I highly doubt you would get that far before I noticed you were gone," he grabbed the gun that was in his lap.

"You are aware that trying to force the rules of magic in your favor is a lot like trying to put a square peg in a round hole, yes?" Dagian asked, "In the end, you're hand hurts, you're frustrated and it still hasn't worked."

"Are you going to get out peacefully or am I going to have to pull you out?"

"I'll come, madman" she said, "But when this is over, and Rumpelstiltskin is slowly murdering you for this then I'll ask to land the final blow. Because there will be nothing for you left because your plan will fail and you'll know that the events after today were completely avoidable."

"You talk so big for one that has a gun pointed at her."

"Because I know that you won't hurt me and I know how this will end," she hesitated, "Don't you?"

He started to say something but then froze when something caught his eye. Dagian followed his gaze and froze when a large cloud of purple smoke started coming towards them, "What is _that?" _

But Dagian knew. Whatever it was, this was Rumpelstiltskin's plan. It raced towards them and even though she currently hated his guts right now, Dagian grabbed Jefferson's sleeve.

What had Rumpelstiltskin done?

The cloud overtook them but right before it re ached the car, Dagian felt her water break.

And then there was nothing.

**The End. **

** Will there be a sequel? Of course. But I want to wait a couple of episodes though to see where the story is going. **

** A/N: Got quite a few people to thank for this. First of all I'd like to thank Foxfire for inspiring and supporting me to do this even though you passed before the ending was done. RIP. **

** I'd like to thank U, Night Animal, Dramaqueen54,CharmedNightSkye, M, Marcie Gore, ValueMyHeart, Guest, classicshe, xxyangxx2006, RainMirror, Laura for their reviews and I'd like to thank VampWolf92 for his/her reviews for almost every chapter. **

** And Danvers the Dove for sticking with it as well. And Ranguvar if you're still reading. **

** But mostly I'd like to thank olverabonk and Ravenclaw992. If it wasn't for you two then this story would NEVER have been what it was. I can't thank you or owe you enough for the countless hours that we spent sending snippits back and forth and commenting and molding this story. Thank you so much for listening to my endless yabbering. **


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